The Crystal Sarcophagus
by Be Rose
Summary: Nelo Angelo, faithful underling of Mundus was defeated by Dante, son of Sparda. His body turned to dust and Vergil's spirit was imprisoned in darkness. Eventually the dark bubble bursts setting the spirit inside it free. Once free Vergil wants his real body, his part of the Perfect Amulet and his sword Yamato but once again things don't go as planned for Vergil.
1. Chapter 1

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **Author's Note : This story is about Vergil, but Dante, Nero and Kyrie make an appearance later. I have finished it already and will post a new chapter weekly.  
**

 **Disclaimer : Listen carefully, I will say this only once: I do not own Vergil, Dante, Nero, Kyrie or any other character from the DMC franchise. All others are mine.**

* * *

 **PART 1**

Nelo Angelo, faithful servant of Mundus Emperor of the Demon World, had been sent by his master to kill an intruder, the son of a traitor. He did not ask questions. He never did. His master gave an order and he obeyed without asking, even without thinking. He went out to meet the enemy to destroy him.

This enemy was different though. As usual Nelo Angelo had invited the man to a duel, an honest fight of man to man. He abhorred the backstabbing and trickery of other demons. It was no more than base cowardice.

"This stinking hole is the last place I thought I'd find anyone with some guts," the enemy said.

Obviously the man had no style, but at least he fought with courage and honour. Pity he had to be killed. Just as Nelo Angelo was squeezing the life out of the enemy something caught his eyes. The pain that coursed through his whole being, that nearly burnt the life out of him, made him throw the man aside. He fled; he had to in order to regain his strength.

Nelo Angelo returned. He had a duty to fulfil. The second encounter went no better than the first one, and again he had to go because his strength had failed him.

He knew he would have to face the enemy again. His order had been to defeat and kill this man, and as long as his task had not been fulfilled he would continue.

For the third time Nelo Angelo faced the enemy, his enemy as well. And the enemy had something to say.

"A man with guts and honour, I like that, but it's a shame you serve Mundus."

They fought again, really man to man this time and not man to monster. Nelo Angelo was sure he was the stronger, but instead of winning the final victory for his master he was defeated and the body he was wearing exploded.

Nelo Angelo had to face Mundus as a ghostly being without body or armour. He knew the punishment for failure was death, but Mundus had a worse punishment for him. Life. Eternal life in darkness without memory of who he was or had been, but with enough awareness of the emptiness and darkness that surrounded him. Enough awareness so that it would slowly drive him crazy, and would ultimately destroy him anyway. Slowly he became a part of the darkness without thought or consciousness, until one day.

ooOOoo

There was darkness so deep it seemed to have taken on substance. He was caught in the pitch-black mass that was trying to crush him to nothingness. Him! He was not a lifeless thing! He was a thinking entity!

It was like a light, faint, easy to extinguish in the blackness that held him. Think! He … yes, he … male, not female. What else? Names! Vergil, Nelo Angelo, Mundus, Dante, Sparda, Eva. What did they mean? Where they people? Places? Friends? Foes? Was one of them his name?

Another flash of light in the darkness. A memory.

" _Nelo Angelo, my faithful warrior, the son of the traitor has entered the fort. Kill him for me."_

Did he speak those words? No, he heard them. Was that his name? Nelo Angelo? It didn't sound right. Was he the traitor's son then? No, the words had been spoken to him. His name _was_ Nelo Angelo. It still did not sound right.

Had he killed the traitor's son as instructed?

 _This stinking hole is the last place I thought I'd find anyone with some guts._

The words in his mind were accompanied by the image of a white-haired man in red leather. He remembered holding the man by the throat. He had defeated the enemy. The red leather coat had opened. Something had fallen out of it. He had grabbed his head. Agony! His head had been ready to burst. He felt the pain all over again and let himself fall into soothing darkness.

He had been unconscious. How long? Moments? Hours? Days? There was no way of telling.

Who was the man in red? What was the thing that had caused him such pain?

Another memory flashed across his mind. Another fight with the same man. Another flash of light coming from the man's chest. He was ready for the memory of the red jewel dangling from the chain. Again the pain pierced his brain. This time he was only out for moments.

His memory took him to another fight. He was facing the same foe yet again. No doubt this was the son of the traitor he had been instructed to kill.

 _A man with guts and honour, I like that, but it's a shame you serve Mundus._

They had fought again. He had … he had changed the way he looked. Why had he done that? The answer came in an instant. Because he had wanted to face this man as himself, not as Mundus' puppet. He had changed the features of the body he had been wearing. Yes … wearing. He had been trapped inside … inside what? Some sort of artificial body? Something pliable, changeable?

He had faced the man as himself, or as much as himself as he could make the thing he had been trapped in. He was not sure the man had recognised him. They had fought, long, hard, relentlessly. They might have killed each other if there had not been the amulet. He had been defeated. Agony had burst into his brain like an exploding star, an explosion that had rent the fake body asunder.

As he relived that moment memories came flooding into his mind. A brother, someone to share with, a closeness, as close as … twins. A twin brother!

 _How about a kiss from your little brother?_

He was born first. He was the strongest, the better fighter, the more powerful. And yet, he had been defeated by his little brother Dante. Again. Again? Yes. He remembered Temen-ni-gru, the tower where he would find his father's power but for that he had needed his brother's amulet.

He remembered Dante turning up, cocky and disgustingly human, as always refusing to share the power of their father, Sparda.

 _Might controls everything. And without strength, you cannot protect anything. Let alone yourself._

Those had been his words. And where had might gotten him? He had stabbed his brother, had awakened the devil within Dante and thus had created his own downfall. But first there had been their fight against their common enemy, Arkham, who had used both of them and had taken Sparda's power.

 _I'll try it your way for once._

 _Remember what we used to say?_

 _Jackpot!_

They had said the word in unison, they had shot in unison, in that short moment they had been the sons of Sparda united, not Dante and Vergil, twins grown so far apart they had become strangers to each other.

Vergil! That was his name, his true name. Nelo Angelo was just the name he had born as slave to Mundus. But how had that moment of victory shared with his brother turned to defeat and submission to Mundus?

The sword! The amulets! They had separated. He had dived after them, as had his brother. They each had found their amulet, but one was not enough. He needed both to get Sparda's power.

 _Give that to me!_

 _No way, you've got your own._

 _Well, I want yours too._

 _What are you going to do with all that power, huh? No matter how hard you try, you're never gonna be like Father._

 _You are wasting time._

 _We are the sons of Sparda. Within each of us flows his blood. But more importantly, his soul! And now my soul is saying it wants to stop you!_

 _Unfortunately, our souls are at odds, brother. I need more power!_

 _And we're supposed to be twins._

 _Twins ... Right_

They had fought and somehow Dante had bested him. Even at the risk of being stuck there his brother had stayed to stop him. They had charged at each other with all they had and somehow Dante, who did not want power, had been the stronger.

 _No one can have this, Dante, it is mine. It belongs to a son of Sparda! Leave me and go, if you don't want to be trapped in the Demon World. I am staying. This place was our father's home._

He had let himself fall into the Demon World, cutting the hand of his brother who had tried to stop him, even then. And next? A triangle of bright red vortexes had appeared. Mundus!

 _It will be fun to fight with the Prince of Darkness. If my father did it, I should be able to do it too!_

Had he really been that foolish? If he had bided his time, if he had hidden until he had recovered from the fighting and the injuries he had sustained, then he might have beaten Mundus. But he had been an idiotic, childish, overconfident teen, and he had paid dearly for his foolishness.

Mundus had captured him and given him to his generals to be turned into a useful tool. One had looked just like his mother, but he had not bought that lie. His mother would not hurt him, or worse, try to seduce him. She stopped coming in the end because she could not destroy the picture of his mother that was imprinted on his mind.

How many days and nights had they tortured him? They had taken turns, coming at him with fresh vigour and leaving him to a new man when that freshness had barely started to wear off. They had not given him a moment's respite until he was no more than a bleeding wreck of a man. Then somehow they had taken … his soul? … his mind? … his personality? … whatever it was that made him Vergil. They had twisted it into Nelo Angelo and buried it in a tin can, an armour fitted out to fight in Mundus' service.

And Dante had defeated him yet again. Now he was bodiless, trapped in Mundus' darkness.

All his memories had come back, as clear as if it had all only just happened. A home, parents that loved him and a brother as close as only a twin can be. They had fought, yes, had not held back, both of them always wanting to be the best. And always he, Vergil, had been the one who had won the fight. Sparda had been proud of his sons, though Eva had thought it was wrong for them to fight each other so bitterly.

Eva, his mother. That memory too had come back, and with it the worst memory of his life: the attack on their home, the killing of his mother, being dragged into hell, and the birth of his devil in a place of death, pinned to a gravestone that bore his name.

He felt more alive, more like Vergil than he had in a long time. And yet, all that he was, all that he had just remembered would disappear again and he would be nothing, not even a blip in the dark world he was in.

ooOOoo


	2. Chapter 2

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **Autor's Note :** **Thank you to** **Deaththewolf32 and** **XIII Xemnaz for following this story.  
**

* * *

 **PART 2**

The thinking entity that once had been Vergil was trapped in darkness like a mosquito stuck in amber. There was one crucial difference though. The mosquito was dead. He definitely was not. Sometimes he believed death would be preferable to the daily torture of his memories and thoughts.

Daily, yes. There were regular periods that he was 'out'. At first he thought he lost consciousness for a while. He had presumed those periods would become longer and longer with shorter and shorter clear moments in between, until he would not come round again. When he started to have vague memories of dreams, he realised that he had slept. Not that that was something to be happy about. It just added dreams and nightmares to the torture of memories.

Whether or not his 'days' were really twenty-four hour periods, he could not tell. They just felt that way and he had had a lot of them. It felt like an eternity which no doubt meant he had been trapped for years now.

He realised his entrapment was changing when he had a sensation of greyness rather than blackness. Quite some time back it had seemed to him that the darkness that surrounded him had become less dense, but he had just assumed it was because he had gotten used to it. Now he thought that perhaps what held him trapped was losing its power. He struggled to get free but failed.

Instead of being trapped in solid blackness, he was seemingly floating in a grey, featureless bubble, surrounded by a substance that became less dense, and possibly brighter. Intermittently he tried to break free but he never succeeded, and afterwards he just felt drained. One day when he woke up from a refreshing, dreamless sleep, he felt power surge through him. He willed himself to break out of his prison. The darkness fractured. Light flooded his consciousness and he soared up into glorious sunlight. Beneath him lay the remains of Mallet Island. Charred rocks and a few bits of wall were all that remained of the fort that had once held him. How much time had passed since his defeat? Years no doubt, judging by the lichen and rock pools, seaweed and nest of seabirds that covered the ruins of the island.

A strange feeling flooded his entire being. He could not place it until a memory that had caused the same feeling came into his mind.

" _Vergil, Dante, you are now old enough to start your training. I want you to continue my legacy, become knights, defenders of the weak. Therefore I will give each of you a sword that in time will be yours and only yours. Vergil, I give you Yamato. Take good care of it and it will serve you faithfully."_

Back then he had felt the same. And he knew what it was. Joy. For the first time since his childhood, since before the day his home had been destroyed, he felt joy. He was free!

The joy did not last when he realised that he was bodiless. He was like one of those lowly demons forced to possess a human's body in order to hold something, or feel something. He did not relish the idea that he was doomed to wander like a pointless ghost.

Of course, Mundus had not allowed him to die. Transferring him to the armour had threatened to fail, until they incorporated his amulet in the Nelo Angelo body that would be his prison. What had happened to his one link with his mother? Destroyed with the body? Probably. And what if it had _not_ been destroyed? Would it still be there among the remnants of the island? Or could his brother have found it? When the body shattered, was it possible that one piece, the heaviest no doubt, could have fallen at his brother's feet? Dante would have picked it up, of that Vergil was certain.

And what about Yamato, his beloved katana? His last memory of the sword was charging at Mundus, Yamato in hand. He had no idea what had happened to it afterwards. Had he used it as Nelo Angelo? Had it been destroyed, or was it lying somewhere under the rubble?

There was no point in looking for the amulet or the katana among the debris of Mallet Island. Nothing was left of the courtyard where he had fought and lost the last battle with his brother. If his amulet and Yamato had not been destroyed then they were in Dante's possession and Vergil knew where to start looking, Capulet City. If Dante didn't live there anymore, then perhaps he might find out where his brother had gone to.

ooOOoo

Vergil's spirit rode the currents like a bird. Sometimes the currents took him off course but as long as he travelled in the general direction that was a minor irritant. More annoying was that he still fell asleep, just like he had done when trapped in the darkness.

At first he had tried to ignore the tiredness. Ghosts didn't feel tired. Even bodiless demons didn't feel tired. He continued on his way. Not until he had been jerked out of his sleep because he was plummeting down from the clouds, did he accept that he had to stop for the night. He settled in the crook of a tree. He could somehow 'feel' the tree. As a spirit being he could pass through solid objects like walls, trees, or living things, and yet there was a strange kind of substance to him – or at least a feeling of substance – that allowed him to 'sit' in the tree.

Every evening, when sleepiness overtook him, the ghost that was Vergil settled down for the night. In the morning he would wake up where he had stopped the previous day. Occasionally he would have a feeling of darkness and being enclosed, just before becoming fully awake. At first he thought he had been dreaming of the darkness that had held him trapped for so long. One morning he did wake up to darkness. He could not move. However much he hated being nothing but a bodiless, lowly entity, it was vastly better than being entombed while fully conscious. He could not bear the hopelessness and helplessness of it. He tried to trigger to break out of his constraint, but nothing happened.

He was wondering what he could do to escape the darkness that suffocated his spirit when a disorientating rush pulled him out of his prison. When the dizziness had disappeared and he could focus again he recognised the area as the place where he had stopped last, hopefully the night before. The only logical conclusion, he decided, was that his consciousness was drawn to his body every night, only to be flung out of it again when waking up, ending up in the place where sleepiness had overtaken him. Perhaps it was this connexion that gave his spirit the strange sensation of being physically there.

ooOOoo

In time, he arrived in Capulet City. He knew exactly where he could find his brother's shop if it was still in the same place. When he saw the cheap neon sign above the shop he knew Dante was still there. Only his brother could choose a name like 'Devil May Cry' and advertise it in the colour of a common brothel. To his annoyance he could not get in because of the protection Dante had put in place around the building. He realised that even as a ghost his only way in was through the front door with a customer providing his demonic side was not detected.

He found that Dante's business was definitely not booming. He had to wait until evening when a young woman approached the place. She grabbed the door handle, hesitated, let go of it again, and turned to go. Vergil felt frustration bubble up inside him at the dithering female. She had only taken a couple of steps away from the entrance, when she turned around again, grabbed the handle firmly, pushed it and opened the door. She walked in and surveyed the inside of the office while holding on to the door handle, as if she still wasn't sure that she would stay. It gave Vergil time to go in as well.

He heard his brother's voice.

"If nature calls, the bathroom's in the back. If it's business, close the door, come in, and tell me what the problem is. You're in luck; I'm in the mood for some action."

"It's my brother," the female explained. "He's always hanging around with these people he calls his new friends, but I don't trust them."

"Surely the kid's allowed to have some fun, babe. Don't be so hard on him."

"I think these friends are actually demons, and I'm afraid that they mean to harm him."

"What makes you think that? Teenage behaviour can be pretty obnoxious. Doesn't mean they're demons though. Cut the kids some slack, why don't ya?"

Vergil didn't listen to the woman's reply. He was looking for the amulet but wasn't sure where he could find it. When he approached the desk, he came closer to his brother. Dante suddenly sat upright, looking round him, sniffing the air. The woman had stopped talking. With a puzzled look on her face she stared at the man she'd come to for help. When he stood up the red leather coat opened and Vergil saw the Perfect Amulet on a chain round his brother's neck. He grabbed the amulet as it was, with both his and Dante's part forming the powerful gem.

Only when his hand went through it did he realise his predicament. Despite feeling his arms, legs, and body, he could not use them. It was the same as an amputee still sensing the amputated limb.

He had been thwarted again. He had wanted the amulet, because that would make everything okay. He had been sure it would bring his body back to him, but of course in order to grab the chain and take it from Dante he needed his body in the first place. Coming to his brother's place had been foolish. The result of rampant emotions, not logical thought. At least he knew exactly what he needed to do: locate his body. He still could not bring himself to possess someone, like the female in the room with him and his twin. It was beneath him, dishonourable.

He retreated to a spot near the ceiling, away from Dante, whom he heard mumble, "That's impossible. He died."

He realised his brother had felt his presence, perhaps still felt it, though not as strong now that he had moved away. The woman distracted Dante further.

"Who died? My brother didn't die!"

"No, of course not. Where does he hang out? I'll have a look at those friends, and I'll do what needs doing. Okay, babe?"

"Thank you, thank you for believing me. They're always at the old Park Lane Movie Theatre. They say that used to be a temple long ago."

"I know the one. You go home. I'll take care of the rest."

The woman hadn't heard the slight shift in tone, but Vergil knew that his brother was concerned. He knew why too. In the beginning of their search for Temen-ni-gru, Arkham had presumed the temple underneath the Movie Theatre was the foundation for the mighty tower. Later they had found out the temple was dedicated to Abaddon. Not long after they had located the correct site of Temen-ni-gru. The boy was indeed in danger if demons had taken him to the temple of Abaddon The Destroyer.

Humans were not Vergil's concern though. When the female opened the door and looked back at Dante, thanking him again for his help, Vergil slipped out. He had a new mission: to find his body. Once he was whole again, he would come back to claim his part of the amulet and Yamato. He was sure his brother had it, stacked away somewhere amongst his collection of Devil Arms.

ooOOoo


	3. Chapter 3

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **Author's Note : Thank you to The High Demon Lord for following this story, and to Jimli for following and adding to your favourite list.**

 **Jimli: I think Vergil knows and loves his brother more than he would like to admit to. In DMC3 he warns Dante that the portal to the Human World is closing. Would he have done that if he didn't care about his brother? I don't think so. As to the time that has passed: read on, Vergil is about to find out.**

* * *

 **PART 3**

Deciding he needed to find his body had been easy. The difficulty was working out where Mundus would have put it. Somewhere safe, somewhere that could not be detected, somewhere where he could keep Vergil's body incorruptible for as long as he wanted Sparda's son to be his slave.

He had let himself fall into the Demon World at Temen-ni-gru. Would his body be near the remains of that tower? The portal to the Human World had closed again and he was not sure it could be reopened, but it was a place to start his search.

As Vergil approached the area where the tower had been raised he recognised certain buildings that had been close to it at the time: a church, the old city hall, the museum with its library where he had met Arkham. Without those landmarks he would never have found the exact spot where Temen-ni-gru had stood. Nothing had been left of the mighty structure that had once linked the Human World with the Demon World. Nothing was there as a reminder that Sparda's power had kept humanity safe here. Or perhaps the children's playground was exactly the sort of memorial Sparda would have relished.

At any rate, his body was not anywhere near. That much was certain. He would have to look for it elsewhere. It could be in any of Mundus's strongholds, in the Human World or the Demon World. Vergil had no idea and no way of finding out where Mundus would have stored it. He would have to go to every place he could think of and search for his body.

Perhaps the knowledge he had gathered while doing the research with Arkham might be of use. He wondered how much he still remembered. He was nineteen when he had raised Temen-ni-gru. How old was he now? How much time had passed since that day? It had been years, no doubt about that, but how many years? Seeing his brother hadn't given him an answer. They did not age like humans did. He would have to search for a newspaper stand. That was the easiest way to find the information he needed.

Vergil didn't have to go too far to find what he was looking for. The answer to his question came as a shock to him. More than twenty years? His servitude to Mundus and imprisonment in darkness had lasted for more than twenty years? It had to be true. Newspapers didn't print some arbitrary numbers as dates. He had lost so much time. The stupidity of his youth had lost him more than half his life. It was a bitter thought that he could not regain the lost years, but moping about them didn't bring them back. They were over, gone, done with. What mattered now was finding his body, and reclaiming his amulet and Yamato.

He could of course possess a human. It would facilitate doing research and finding the location of Mundus' strongholds. If he loaned a body he would be able to do more than as a spirit. For the moment his aversion to possession stopped him from using a human body. Possessing an unsuspecting human was the tool of the lowest of the low, the sign of weakness among demons. It was a despicable, dishonourable act even though humans were weak and just asked to be used; mere cattle, nothing more.

Clear and sharp a memory of his mother came to him.

The sad look on her face, her soft voice asking, "Do you despise me as well, Vergil?"

 _He was seven at the time. It was the first day of the new school year. Dante and he were teased all day long because of their hair, and because they never reacted to taunts. They had promised their mother not to get into a fight, but that became increasingly more difficult. Then unexpectedly the bullying stopped, until the final bell rang that is. Dante rushed out of the classroom like a sprinter hearing the start shot. He followed more sedately. When he came out of the school grounds half a dozen bullies were busy pommeling his brother, who so far had not reacted, just like their mother had said. More children were standing around cheering on the fighting gang members._

" _You're gonna get it now, weirdo. School's out, no teachers to run to," the gang leader said._

" _Dishonourable behaviour," Vergil remarked, just like his father would have done._

" _You want some as well?"_

 _The smile didn't reach his eyes. "You can try," he said in a cold voice._

 _Dante had stopped moving, so the gang left him to face the new quarry. Vergil felt nothing but contempt for them. Six against one. Fair odds for a half-devil, but the gang did not know this. As far as they knew he was a seven-year-old facing six older boys._

 _His cool attitude angered the gang leader. He turned to the onlookers._

" _Let's take him!"_

 _There were twelve in the end. Most of the onlookers had retreated to a safer distance. The gang rushed him. There were too many for him to deal with on his own._

" _Are you going to sleep through this, Dante? Or are you going to give me a hand?"_

" _I thought you'd never ask, bro," Dante's voice piped up._

 _Their mother had told them not to start a fight. She hadn't said anything about finishing one._

 _The gang were taken aback that their first victim was apparently unharmed. Then Dante's hard little fists landed a few punches and they realised just how unharmed he was. Within no time the gang leader and the toughest members lay groaning on the pavement. The rest of the gang and the onlookers were running away as fast as they could._

 _They told their mother about the incident. At least she understood why they had fought._

 _Then he said, "Humans, I despise them all."_

 _And his mother, with a sad smile asked, "Do you despise me as well, Vergil?"_

 _Of course he did not despise her. She was his mother._

 _He told her, "You are Sparda's mate; mother to Sparda's sons. You are not just any human."_

 _She shook her head._

" _Oh, Vergil, I am like those humans you despise. Being Sparda's mate and your mother doesn't change that. You and your brother are as much human as devil. Don't despise part of what you are. Don't despise the part of you that is me."_

Barely a year later he had been dragged into the Demon World. His devil had been awakened and for years he had used his human form as little as possible. When he finally returned to the Human World it had been easier, more useful to become human again. The fact that he looked comely and unthreatening had not been a hindrance to his cause either. Quite the reverse.

Of course his human form resembled his father's human form, which had made him more accepting of it, perhaps even preferring it to his devil trigger. After all, he had hardly ever seen Sparda in devil guise. Something else occurred to him that he had not considered before. Maintaining his human form had never been a problem, while extreme fatigue or even just normal sleep had caused an automatic release of his devil trigger on occasion. Back when he had been researching Temen-ni-gru he had thought that he could keep his human form so easily because maturity had increased the control he had over his body. Now he wondered if the human form was his true form and the devil trigger something he could access at need, for more strength, for more speed, for quicker healing of serious injuries.

The moment he found his body, that question would be answered. Whatever had been left when Mundus had put him in the Nelo Angelo body was his true form. He wished he could remember but he had been barely conscious at the time, and had only the haziest of memories.

He concentrated on recalling all he knew about Mundus. To his satisfaction his memory didn't let him down there. Since he had escaped Mundus' darkness all the knowledge he'd acquired prior to his capture had come back to him. Out of his past he summoned the recollection of the two main strongholds of Mundus other than Mallet Island. He also remembered the sites of two temples that held an entrance to the Demon World, one of which was in Capulet City.

He made his way to the temple, which of course was no longer a temple but a multi-storey car park. The entrance was still there though. Underneath the car park in one of the maintenance tunnels he found it, not a major portal but a small gateway through which the odd demon could enter the Human World, providing he had a form that was small enough.

The portal brought Vergil to a large chamber from which several corridors branched off. The ceiling was fairly low, another indication that nothing big ever came this way. Every surface in the room – ceiling, walls, floor and four columns – seemed to be damp and was pulsating with a red light. He hoped he was not inside some creature similar to Leviathan, but the hardness of the floor and the lack of squelchy noises reassured him. From three of the corridors came distinct demon scents, indicating they were used regularly, so he decided to try one of the other ones. After all, wouldn't his body be kept in a secret, quiet place?

He chose the exit immediately to the left of the portal he had come through. For a while the corridor went straight on, but then it started to twist and wind left and right, spiralling upward and down again, turning back on itself a few times, so that even a demon could lose his sense of direction in it, which Vergil thought was exactly the point. Eventually the tunnel straightened out again. Ahead he could see a red light. The only exit he had encountered. When he came through it he recognised the room immediately. He was back in the chamber with the portal to the Human World, standing at the exit to the right of it. The second and third tunnel he tried had similar patterns, and also brought him back to his starting point through the second and third exit on the other side of the portal.

Six of the arched openings were now accounted for, which left the three exits with the signs of strong demon activity. Again he chose the one that was most to the left. This time he was in luck. He arrived in a large hall where a kind of social gathering of demons took place. He didn't know what the demons were eating and drinking, but the smell was sickly sweet and vomit inducing. It was fortunate that he could see, hear and smell, even as a spiritual being, though he wished the latter sense had failed him on this occasion.

Vergil was wandering around the room, hoping to learn something that could help him, when all of a sudden he heard his father's name. He decided to listen in on the conversation.

"You can't have sensed the son of Sparda," a puny demon said. 'You would have either seen his red coat or lost your head."

"I didn't mean him. I meant the other one. Mundus' servant, Nelo Angelo."

"He's dead. His body just burst to pieces. You must have heard that. Why'd you bring him up after all this time anyway?"

"I told you, I sensed him. And that body wasn't his. His body was kept safe by Mundus. I know. I worked on Mallet Island. Thank Satan I was gone when that red-coated maniac arrived."

"You're joking! Where is the body kept then?"

"How would I know? I wasn't that deep in Mundus' confidence. Nobody was. Only Mundus knew where that body was stashed, though rumour has it it's not in the Demon Realm."

"It's probably a corrupt heap of flesh now. Nice and ripe."

"Stop it. You're making me salivate."

"I made myself salivate just thinking about it."

Vergil had heard all he was going to learn from those disgusting creatures. They were talking about rotting meat as if it was a delicacy. Even when he'd lived in the Demon Realm, forced to eat what he could kill, he had always had his meat fresh. Raw, yes, and dripping with blood, but never anything putrid.

He found his way back with ease. In his bodiless state he couldn't put a ward on the door that would stop the demons from using that entry into the Human World, but he was determined to return and do just that, the moment he had his body back. Sparda would have done it, so his son would too. It didn't even occur to him that this thought was very unlike his former self.

ooOOoo


	4. Chapter 4

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 4**

Although what he had heard was only demon gossip, Vergil decided he would concentrate on Mundus bastions in the Human World. He left Capulet City, travelling by day, resting by night until he reached the first of the two strongholds. Mundus obviously liked island fortresses. This one was carved out of a giant rock in the sea. Local people never went near it. They said the rock was cursed, and called it Demon Rock, which was absolutely accurate for once.

When he arrived on the island he knew immediately that something was wrong. He couldn't smell or feel the smallest indication of demon activity. He entered and wandered through the corridors and grand halls of the fort without meeting a soul, living or dead. There was no sign anywhere that his body was, or had been, there. Probably not a bad thing considering the state of decay the place was in.

At least the fortress had still been there, which was more than could be said of the next place, another island, in the middle of a lake this time. The journey through the forest that surrounded the lake did not prepare him for what he found. Just like on Mallet Island there was nothing left of the building that had once been there, except the odd remnant of an arch or column, rocks with unnatural shapes. If his body was here then it was buried under the rubble, impossible to get to. It seemed that Mundus had been totally destroyed, which meant Vergil could not even get answers from the Demon Emperor himself.

He decided he would try the second temple. If he didn't find anything there, he would have to reconsider his options. He would either have to possess someone, which did not appeal to him, or he would have to ask his brother's assistance somehow, which held even less attraction. The possibility that he could stop searching didn't even occur to him.

ooOOoo

He was half a day's journey away from his destiny when his attention was drawn by loud noises, cries, and the clang of metal on metal. Somebody was fighting. But who would fight in the middle of the wilderness? Then there were screams in a harsh, guttural language, more growls than words. Demons!

Who could they be fighting? Was this a battle between two factions? The question was answered when he heard the next shout.

"Tessie, to your right. Don't let that thing get anywhere near Jimmy."

"Okay Damian. Jim! Get inside! Now!"

Human voices. Young human voices. One male, one female. What were they doing in a fight with demons? He went to have a look and what he saw astonished him. Below him was a wooden building, a fairly large log cabin. In the yard in front of it a fight was taking place between a group of demons and six children of different ages. Four of them were males, two females. If the demons had been any stronger it would have been an uneven fight, but these weaklings could even be defeated by the untrained youngsters. The tallest of the boys was taking unnecessary risks. He had advanced too far and had left his back unprotected. One of the demons was approaching him from behind. The tallest girl had seen it and cried out a warning.

"Damian! Behind you!"

The boy Damian was too occupied by the demons he was fighting. They had increased the speed of their attacks to aid their colleague in taking out the enemy from behind. The girl was running towards the lone attacker, but Vergil could see she would be too late. Without thinking he dived towards the demon, passing through it at speed. Vergil knew that the sensation of having some ghost or spirit go through him would unsettle the fiend. Not for very long, but probably long enough for the girl to reach him.

After he'd dive-bombed the demon Vergil turned around and saw the girl decapitate the creature. Her friend had some trouble with the two that were attacking him. To Vergil's surprise the boy suddenly triggered. The devils weren't too happy that the speed of the kid's attack now matched theirs. Intrigued by the young half-devil Vergil decided to help some more. He would have to time his passing through the demons carefully. If one died when he was inside it, the demon's life force would attach itself to his spirit, and would try to merge with it.

Vergil noticed a demon running towards one of the younger boys at the other end of the field. Before he could reach it, the creature had stabbed the boy, but Vergil still rushed right through it, his speed too great to stop so suddenly.

"Cody!" a young female voice cried out. "You bastard, you stabbed my little brother!"

He turned round and saw the smallest of the girls run towards the demon. It turned but was clearly still disorientated. Next moment it was no more than a pile of dust. With only a quick look at her brother the girl went back to the fight. The boy had his eyes open. He stirred, got up gingerly, and triggered. Moments later the young devil followed his sister yelling and whooping.

Vergil realised his initial appraisal had been wrong. They were not totally untaught in the art of sword fighting, but despite their enthusiasm for the fight the youngsters still needed help. Two more times Vergil ran through a demon, then the rest of them disappeared, afraid of this new unseen threat that froze them in their tracks.

With the demons gone, Vergil could still sense demonic blood, and not just from the two who had triggered. How many of the six children had demonic ancestry? Vergil went closer to see if he could learn more about them from what they said.

The young boy was still devil-triggered. He seemed very pleased with himself.

"Congratulations, Cody. You found your devil," the oldest boy, Damian, said. "That means just two of us haven't got a devil-form yet. Nicholas and you, Carrie."

The older girl shrugged. "I'm obviously a better fighter than you, Damian. And I'm not getting stabbed just to have a devil."

"It's rotten that I haven't got a devil," one of the boys, obviously Nicholas, said. "Can't you just stab me, Damian?"

"No, he can't," Carrie answered immediately. "We don't know how it works. Perhaps those demon blades are special, helping to make your devil. Perhaps it won't work with our swords. I'm not letting you take that risk, Nicholas. I would miss my sparring partner if it went wrong."

She ruffled the hair of the boy, who brushed her hand away.

"Get off, Carrie. I'm not a kid," Nicholas said with an unmistakeable growl to his voice.

All six of them were half-devils. Where did they come from? Who were they? Vergil knew that two of them were siblings, the younger girl and one of the youngest boys. Damian and Carrie were obviously the oldest. He guessed they were sixteen or seventeen. Tessie seemed just a bit younger, while her brother Cody and the boy without the devil trigger, Nicholas, were only just in their teens. The remaining boy seemed to be halfway between the youngest and oldest children, similar age to the younger girl. He must be the boy Jim he'd heard mention. But this boy had been fighting. All his actions had been calm, cool and deliberate. Why would they have sent him inside?

As if in answer to his question the door to the house opened, and a young voice asked, "Are they gone? Can I come out?"

"Yes, come out Jimmy. We have something to celebrate. Cody has found his devil."

The youngster came running. He had a good look at the new devil, studying him from all sides.

"Cool," was his appraisal. "I like your tail, Cody. It looks like a monkey tail. Can you grab things with it?"

In answer Cody wrapped his tail around his friend's wrist and shook his hand up and down.

"You can't hide in small spaces anymore when we play hide and seek. I can just drag you out."

Jimmy grinned. "Yeah, you could. If you could find me."

"It's a lot better than my sister's stupid tail," was Cody's opinion.

He felt the sudden sting of a slap.

"Ouch! What was that for?" he asked, turning towards Tessie, now triggered like her brother.

The young female devil was waving a long flexible tail that ended in a broad flat scaly part, like a beaver tail.

"Just to show you how useful my tail is when dealing with an irritating younger brother," Tessie said.

"Okay guys, stop bickering. Let's go in and have some dinner. Those demons are gone for now," Carrie said.

They all went towards the cabin except one boy. He was staring out at the yard, a pensive look on his face.

"Tyler! Come on," Carrie called out.

The boy did not respond so she joined him, as did the youngest boy, Jimmy.

"What's up, Tyler? Why aren't you coming? Why are you standing here? Is something the matter?"

"Something was wrong with those demons, Carrie. Didn't you see? They just stopped, as if they were instantly frozen, and then they looked confused. They hadn't a clue where they were, which gave us a chance against them. But something out there did something to those demons, and I want to know what that was."

"It was probably nothing. A demon bug making them feel sick, something like that. Come on. Let's go in and have something to eat."

Vergil noticed that Jimmy was looking straight at him. He had just decided it must be coincidence when a strange sensation flowed through him. It felt bright, light, free, and totally the opposite of the dark void that had kept him imprisoned. When the kid turned towards Carrie and Tyler the feeling disappeared.

"It wasn't a bug," he said. "But I don't think it will harm us."

"What is it, Jimmy?" Carrie asked, sounding concerned.

"I'll try and find out tomorrow."

"Be careful, Jimmy. You're not a devil. You don't heal like we do."

"Sure," the boy answered, sounding as confident as only the young and innocent can do.

They went into the log cabin where the other children had started to set a table. Seven chairs were brought towards the table from different places around the house.

 _Seven chairs, seven plates, seven forks, seven knives, seven beakers. No doubt there are seven little beds up in the attic. I wonder when the pale princess will come dancing along the path with her musical animals. If they start singing 'Hiho, hiho' I'm leaving,_ Vergil thought.

He stayed at the farmhouse, nestling in a tree. He wanted to know why six half-devils and one human were living in a cabin in the woods. Why did the half-devils want to keep the little human safe? Even before he remembered the light that had gone through him, as if scanning him, he knew. Jimmy was no ordinary human. He was a seer, a medium of some sort.

Then there was the demon attack. Were these youngsters specifically targeted or was this just the general hatred of demons for half-devils? And if not the latter then what was so special about them? Who were these children? Where did the six young half-devils come from? Who were their parents? Where were their parents? A mating between demon and human didn't happen that often. Only demons like Sparda with a human form would consider it. Most times the demon only used the human. Any offspring of the mating would be instantly killed. Female demons would even kill the unborn child in the womb, unless they weren't sure who fathered it. Demons despised half-breeds. The fact that these youngsters were alive meant that de demon parent had claimed the nestlings, just like Sparda had claimed and raised him and his brother. Rare occurrence indeed to find so many. Rarer still were the siblings of a different age, meaning the demon parent had had a real relationship with the human parent.

There were other questions. Question that bothered him. Why had he helped them? He'd been called a cool, cold-hearted bastard, and with reason. His mother had been killed, and he had been dragged into hell. He couldn't afford feelings there. They made him weak and would have destroyed him. Power was what he had wanted, what he still wanted, yet here he had risked everything for children he didn't know, whose parents he didn't know. His normal self would have watched the fight, but would never have interfered, no matter what the danger to the youngsters. Why _was_ he so curious about the seven younglings? Wasn't it more important to get his body? Didn't he want his amulet and Yamato as soon as possible? Yes, of course he did, but he wanted to know everything he could about the six young half-devils and their young friend, the seer.

He had no reason for staying. He had never cared for anything beyond his own goal; had never been interested in anyone unless they could help his own cause. So that must be it. He must have a use for these children, even if it wasn't yet clear to him what that could be.

The alternative, that his actions had come from – dare he say it? – _human_ interest and concern for their welfare without ulterior motive, was just too ridiculous to contemplate. Having come to that conclusion, Vergil settled down for the night.

ooOOoo

 **Author's Note : Readers I would love to hear what you think of the story. I could threaten not to post unless I get x amount of reviews, but I won't stoop that low. Next chapter will be posted next Friday.**

 **Jimli: Vergil knew his imprisonment had lasted several years. The exact amount of years came as a shock to him.**


	5. Chapter 5

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 5**

Vergil woke up early. The new day had only just started to light up the clearing in front of the house. To his surprise the door opened. One by one the seven children came out, the younger ones reluctantly, rubbing their eyes and yawning.

"Can't we have breakfast first?" Tessie asked.

"I was dreaming of ice cream, and you woke me up before I could taste it," Nicholas complained. "Couldn't you have waited? I haven't had ice cream in ages."

"There never was ice cream at the orphanage," Tyler stated.

"See, ages ago," Nicholas wailed.

"Nonsense. You never had ice cream in your life. You were a mere baby when you arrived."

'Tyler, you're a spoilsport. You're always so … so …"

"Right?"

"Drop dead, Tyler. Or take that stick out of your backside."

"Ridiculous," Tyler said, starting a shadow fight against an invisible foe.

"No arguing this early in the morning, please," Carrie said. "Tyler, you practice with Cody. Damian is partnering Tessie. Come on ice cream guy, you and I are going to do some target practice."

The half-devils divided into three groups. Jimmy came out and sat down on the step to the veranda that ran around the whole building. Vergil thought it was strange that he was not learning to defend himself. He didn't even join Carrie and Nicholas who were testing their skill with knife throwing. The girl could do with some improvement, and the boy seemed to be only a beginner.

The other four were using swords. Tyler was a good teacher, who explained in a calm voice what Cody was doing wrong.

"You're trying to be too flash, Cody. Never turn your back to the enemy, even if it does seem cool to turn like that."

"Damian does it, so why can't I?" Cody asked.

"There's a reason why Damian was the first one who got his devil. I'm showing you how to fight, not how to play in a Hollywood movie."

Vergil approved of the young teacher's approach.

"Well done, boy," he muttered to himself. "Only when technique has become second nature can you embellish your way of fighting. Only then can you make it stylish."

He looked at the other pair now. Damian was demonstrating some flash sword tricks, learned from unrealistic fights no doubt. When the teenager started to teach them to the young girl he was partnering Vergil's anger exploded.

"That's not teaching, that's endangering her," he shouted. "If I had my body I would show you how ridiculous your actions are."

Then he realised that nobody could hear him. He was just some sort of ghost, unseen, unheard.

"Damian, you should teach Tessie how to fight properly. You'll get her killed with your silly tricks."

It was the boy, Jimmy, who had voiced his thoughts. Damian didn't like it.

"You've become an expert in fighting now, Jimboy? Want to demonstrate your skills?" he sneered.

"I'm no expert," Jimmy said. "But I'm sure _he_ is. _He_ said you were doing it wrong."

To Vergil's surprise the boy pointed up to where he was sitting in the tree.

"I see. The ghost of the tree said it," Damian mocked.

"He's no ghost. He's something else and he knows how to fight."

"Boy, do you hear me? Can you understand me?" Vergil asked.

The answer was not spoken, but came straight from the boy's mind into his mind.

"Yes, I can understand you."

Jimmy wasn't a half-devil, but clearly had his own speciality. He could see and hear bodiless entities nobody else saw or heard, and he could speak to them, telepathically as well. Was that why the group had kept the boy away from the fighting? To protect him and his gift? Very likely that was the case.

Damian didn't like the boy's comment about his fighting.

"So what does the non-ghost in the tree suggest?" he asked.

"I suggest you get your techniques right, until they have become instinctive, until even your muscles remember them. Only then can you add the flashy tricks. You will be injured a lot less and you won't need to rely on your friends to bail you out."

"He says you have to improve your techniques," Jimmy paraphrased Vergil's words.

"Rubbish! We're all good enough to get rid of demons. We've done it three times since we've found this place. Your invisible friend is talking out of his invisible backside."

Vergil couldn't believe the cockiness of the teenager. This Damian was even worse than Dante. At least his twin would have realised those demons were hardly the most difficult to beat. And even if his favourite style was wildly hacking like a maniac, at least Dante had the necessary technique to back it up. Sparda had seen to that.

"One day some real demons will come. When they attack, you will find out how lucky you have been so far. Hopefully it won't be too late to learn."

"Do you mean there are other, more dangerous demons?" Jimmy asked out loud.

"Yesterday's demons were merely low level. Most demons are stronger, more cunning, and a lot more dangerous. Only if you can fight without thinking, if one move follows the other as naturally as breathing, can you hope to beat them. If you turn your back on one of those demons, you will have to be certain it is dead and that it is only standing because it has not realised this yet."

"What does he say now, your invisible friend," Damian asked when he noticed Jimmy seemed to be listening intently.

"He says that we haven't seen the worst of the demons yet. And I believe him," Jimmy answered.

Carrie had noticed the training session seemed to have stopped. She and Nicholas joined the others who were standing near the tree.

"What's happened? Why did you stop the training session?" Carrie asked.

"There's a ghost in the tree that threatens us. It says we'll all be killed," Damian said.

"Is it the same thing that was there yesterday, Jim? You said it wouldn't harm us."

"He's not threatening us. He's warning us."

"Warning us? About what?" Carry asked.

She was concerned. This place was their home. She didn't want to move out, live on the streets again, risk being put back in some home. The last one had been bad enough, for all of them.

This place had been heaven until the first demon attack, an attack that had been followed a few months later by a second one and a third the previous day. Now this being that nobody but little Jim saw or heard had warned them.

"What does it think will happen?"

"He says there are stronger, more dangerous demons." Jim explained.

"If there will be more danger we can't say here."

They all protested against the move.

"This place is perfect, Carrie. I don't want to go again," Tessie said. "We've been looking for a place like this since we ran away from the Home."

"I'm not going anywhere. We can take on anything. Three times the demons have attacked us and three times we've whipped their asses. You want to leave because some lily-livered ghost tells you to? He's a ghost, that's how good a fighter he was."

"Boy, your friend may be an idiot, but he is right," Vergil said. "The demons know of your existence, and they will not stop until they have eradicated you all. They hate half-breeds. This is your place. Here you can make a stand. Run and you will be vulnerable."

"Carrie, he says we should stay."

"He? We don't even know who 'he' is, Jimmy. Perhaps he's not even there, perhaps you just imagine him. Perhaps he is a demon as well; perhaps he wants to kill us as much as the other demons."

"Oh, come on Carrie! For once that ghost says something intelligent. Just let the demons come. We'll show them you can't take on Sparda's Army," Damian bragged.

Sparda's Army? Vergil thought he had heard wrong. How could these youngsters be Sparda's Army? His father had disappeared when he was six, and Vergil had always assumed he had died on a mission. How could these kids know about Sparda?

"Boy, why does your friend call you Sparda's Army? Sparda disappeared decades ago. Long before any of you were born."

Just then Tyler, who had been shadow fighting while the discussion was going on, shouted out.

"People, we've got company! Jim, get inside! Carrie, Nicholas, go get your swords!"

Carrie and Nicholas were in an out of the house before the demons had spotted the children. Jim stayed in the doorway, wanting to see what happened. There were only four devils in the end. Not a real attack, but just a small group that was probably attracted by the noise. As soon as they saw the children they ran towards them, howling and shrieking.

Without thinking Vergil swooped down, diving through the demons, disorientating them in the process. Tyler and Carrie were quick to react. Two of the demons had been turned to dust before they had recovered. A third one turned and ran for the woods. Tessie, who was closest, threw her sword at the demon, while running. All she had to do was pick her weapon, out of the demon's remains. The last demon had regained full use of its senses by the time Damian reached it. It started hacking and slashing at the teen, but Damian blocked every strike. Vergil realised the boy was showing off his skill. The demon increased the speed of its attacks, but Damian matched it easily.

"Damian! Finnish it!" Carrie shouted impatiently.

Vergil saw the smile flit across the boy's face. Next moment Damian punched the demon in the face. While the fiend wobbled and shook its head, the teen turned towards Carrie and bowed. Then, holding his sword in both hands he whirled round and decapitated his opponent. He continued the movement until he was facing Carrie again, a big smile on his face.

"Show-off," she muttered and turned her back on him.

To the others she said, "Come on guys, let's have breakfast."

They followed her into the house while Jim was holding the door for them. When Damian stepped onto the porch he winked at the boy.

"See? Nothing to it," he said and went in.

Just as the Jim was about to follow the others inside Vergil called him back.

"Boy!"

The boy answered telepathically, "My name is Jim, not 'boy'."

"Of course. Jim, we need to talk."

"Okay. After breakfast, inside. I'll be doing the dishes while the others are practicing. Nobody will disturb us."

"As you wish."

While he was waiting until he could talk to Jim, Vergil was thinking about the children. The oldest girl had mentioned a Home. Were they orphans perhaps? It would account for the lack of grownups around the place. Could they have come from the same Home? And Jim, the youngest? Not a half-devil but still an unusual child. How did he become involved with the half-devils? De biggest mystery was the mention of Sparda. Unless of course it was just a name Damian had heard somewhere. He would learn soon enough when he talked to the boy.

And then? What did he really want with the children? Make them the basis for his own army? Vergil's Army instead of Sparda's Army? All six young half-devils had the potential to become skilled fighters. Damian wasn't far off, despite his stupid tricks. Tyler had shown style in his shadow fighting. The moment he introduced that skill into battle he would be awesome to see. The girls, Carrie and Tessie, went straight for the kill. The way Tessie had thrown her sword – straight, accurate, no hesitation – proved she was an opportunistic fighter. One who would be able to get out of a tight corner. Carrie was different. Vergil had the impression that Carrie only fought out of necessity, to protect their home, and probably the younger children, even though they were capable of defending themselves. She might not want to join a conquering army. The youngsters, Cody and Nicholas, would they fight? How many years before they were old and strong enough to be useful in his army? And Jim, the youngest who didn't fight, was not taught to fight. How could he fit in this world conquering army?

A picture appeared in his mind, bright, vivid.

 _He was fighting a horde of demons. Seven young people were fighting with him. The youngest was about fifteen. The foul fiends didn't stand a chance against them. The job done he turned around with his little army. A man came running from the ruins of a town. Behind him came the rest of the inhabitants. The man, a human, shook his hand._

" _Thank you, thank you so much. You have saved us, saved our town. How can we ever thank you enough?"_

 _Then he heard his own voice say, "No need to thank us. We are Sparda's Army, we protect."_

The vision – if vision it was – disappeared, leaving him slightly dizzy. It left him confused as well. He, Vergil, protector of _humans_? He didn't protect humans. At best he ignored them. He did not protect at all, he conquered. That was his plan, wasn't it? To conquer the Demon World and this world, to rule both realms. That was the reason why he had wanted Sparda's power, wasn't it?

… _without strength, you cannot protect anything … you cannot protect … protect… protect…_

The words hammered inside his head. He had never wanted to rule, he had wanted to protect. He had failed to protect his mother, but he was convinced that with enough power, Sparda's power, he could never fail again. And yet, his brother had beaten him, not once but twice. What had Dante said that first time?

 _We are the sons of Sparda. Within each of us flows his blood. But more importantly, his soul! And now my soul is saying it wants to stop you!_

Soul, that's what Dante had, not power. That's what he still had, why he took on the cause of a poor woman worried about her brother. Sparda's soul. Sparda who had protected humans, who had fought his own kind for them, who had fallen in love with a human and made her the mother of his sons. Was that where Sparda's power had lain all along? In his soul? The soul he had passed on to his sons so that they could continue his work? Had his whinging little brother been right all along? Was that the reason why he had helped these children in their fight against the demons? To protect?

ooOOoo

 **Author's Note :**

 **Jimli: I always thought that for an intelligent person Vergil could act really stupid.**

 **Revolverwild:Thank you for following this story and adding it to your favourites. Thank you for the review as well. I hope you will enjoy the rest. I admit that by the time I had finished writing the title didn't seem to cover the content of the story. I just couldn't find one that did, and The Crystal Sarcophagus sounded good so I kept it. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 6**

Vergil's musings were disturbed when the door to the house opened and the six half-devils came out carrying their weapons. They were discussing who would partner whom, and how long a session would last before they changed partners. Soon the noise of clashing swords and shouted instructions could be heard. The door to the cabin opened again.

"You can come in now. They will be busy for a while."

The small boy let Vergil inside the house and closed the door. Then he continued doing the dishes he had started on. A couple of crates made a platform so he could reach the sink.

"You said you wanted to talk. What did you want to talk about?" Jim asked.

"Why did your friend say that you are Sparda's Army?"

"Why not? It's just a name."

"It's not just a name, boy." Vergil felt the boy was testing him, and he didn't like it. "You know who Sparda was. Why do you use the name of a devil who disappeared more than thirty years ago?"

Jim turned towards Vergil.

"You too know who Sparda was. Why do you have to ask then? We are Sparda's Army and when we are ready we will continue his work. Sparda may have died but his soul lives on."

"His soul lives on, does it? In you perhaps? Born so many years after his death? And how would you know he is dead? He probably was tired of helping humans and disappeared."

"Sparda died in the arms of Nicholas' father."

"Do you mean Nicholas, who was a baby when he became an orphan? I can see how he would know."

"You're worse than Tyler, you are. You just don't want to listen. Have it your way then."

Jim turned back towards the sink and continued his work in silence. Vergil waited until the boy started talking again. After a while he realised that was not going to happen. He had clearly upset Jim.

Vergil sighed. He wanted answers, especially since the boy had mentioned Sparda's soul, as if he had heard Vergil's musings.

"Jim, all I know is that Sparda disappeared when I was about your age, younger even. You say that you know he died. I want you to tell me everything, from the beginning?"

The only sound was the metallic clinking of the cutlery, the tinkling of glasses, and the scraping sound of earthenware on earthenware. Water gurgled through the sinkhole. Jim turned round, drying his hands. He looked at the chair where Vergil's spirit seemed to sit down, more out of habit than necessity.

"The beginning is what I've heard," Jim said. "There are things my mum told me before she died, though I didn't understand them. Not until recently."

"Your mum must have been very young when Sparda disappeared."

"Mum didn't know Sparda. Grandma told Mum about him, and she had heard the story from her mum. Mum said she was one of the two remaining descendants of the woman who helped Sparda. You see, Sparda wanted to close the main Hell Gate. To lock it forever he used his own sword, his own blood, and this woman's blood. He cut open his arm and her arm, and they let their blood trickle in the lock."

ooOOoo

" _Two more tasks to perform and the tower will be locked and sealed. Thank you for being here. For trusting me with your life."_

" _I have seen you fight evil. I have heard of the things you and your followers do. If my life is needed to keep the demons out of our world so be it."_

" _I doubt they can be kept out completely, but closing this gate will prevent Mundus from overpowering this world, even if he is freed from my bondage."_

 _They stood on a circular platform with a well in the middle. A beam of strange light went upwards from the well._

" _Take these and wait for me," he said, giving her his two pistols._

 _He stepped into the beam carrying two swords. She was afraid, and he noticed it. He gave her an encouraging nod, then he disappeared floating upwards in the beam._

 _After a fairly short time the beam suddenly disappeared. A devil with two pairs of wings flew down towards her. She nearly screamed when the scaly, horned demon landed on the platform. Glowing red eyes without pupils stared at her. Suddenly the devil shrank and changed. There stood the handsome man she had come with. He was still holding the katana. The other sword, a strange sword with an organic looking wide blade, he had left behind on the other side._

" _It is done. Force Edge is in place with my power. One ritual is left, then this gateway into Hell will be closed. Are you ready?"_

 _Now her task would begin. She would have to give her life for the safety of mankind. They approached the middle of the platform. She held her arm over the well and he cut it with the katana. Then he did the same to his arm. Their blood was flowing as they stood side by side. When blood loss made her feel weak he supported her and held her arm. She knew the end was near and eventually she sank away in velvet blackness._

 _To her surprise she woke up looking into his ice-blue eyes._

" _You are back," he said, and there was relief in his voice._

" _Why am I not dead? I am still alive, aren't I?"_

" _Yes, you are. I feared my remaining powers might not be enough, but you returned from the edge. I am sorry that I nearly failed to protect you."_

" _I did not expect to come back. I had a new high priestess installed. What shall I do now?"_

" _You are a young woman. Have a new life, and make it a good one."_

 _A new life, the greatest gift. She smiled, chuckled, laughed out loud. He helped her up and she noticed they were no longer in the tower. He escorted her to a fallen tree where they sat for a while. After a few hours he got up, shook her hand, thanked her again, and disappeared from the area, from her life._

 _She met a man, a good man. They had a child, who had a child, who had a child, who had a child, always one throughout the centuries until there came a descendant who had two children, a boy and a girl._

 _The oldest one, the boy, became a professor. He married a woman who was kind and sweet, perhaps too sweet. They had a daughter._

 _The girl, born when her brother was already a teen, was a problem child. She was stubborn, strong-willed, and disobedient. Strange that she was the one who became the high priestess like her ancestor. In her late thirties she resigned her office for a man. She became pregnant. The pregnancy was unexpected though not unwanted. He never saw his child. He was attacked and killed. The murderer claimed that the devil had made him do it. She realised that this was probably the truth. Her husband would have detected the supernatural, but an ordinary mercenary killer would remain hidden to him. Four months later her only child, a boy, was born._

ooOOoo

"That boy was me," Jim explained.

"I was told that Sparda sacrificed the priestess to lock the gate into the Demon World. The man who told me was a professor in demonology. He had gathered every scrap of information he could find. He was a fanatic. Are you saying he had it wrong? I doubt that very much."

"I'm here, aren't I? And as priestess she couldn't have kids. That came after, when she was not a priestess anymore. Anyway, Mum told me the story about her great great great … great great …" The boy hesitated, looked at his fingers where he had been counting, smiled and continued, 'Lots more greats great grandma and Sparda all the time."

Vergil interrupted the boy again.

"The professor who told me about the locking ceremony said that Sparda sacrificed his blood and a human priestess. He said his wife was a descendant of the priestess. She must have known the story as well. I believe your mother told you a fairy tale of Sparda."

The boy looked at him intently. "Why does it have to be true that Sparda killed the priestess? He sacrificed his blood and the priestess's, not the priestess herself."

Vergil wondered. Why was it important that Sparda had killed a human to close Temen-ni-gru? Because that would make him more a devil and less a hero? Because he, Vergil, could relate to a Sparda who sacrificed a human without a second thought?

Jim's voice broke through his musings.

"Before Mum died she said I should know the story of the devil who didn't kill innocents, who protected humans. He used his powers for doing good. She said that if I found I had powers, I should use them for good as well. When Mum died I was sent to the orphanage. That's where I met Carrie and Damian and the others."

"And you suggested you should be Sparda's Army?"

"No, that was Damian. His dad had been in Sparda's Army."

"Ridiculous. Sparda did not have an army."

"Well, perhaps it wasn't quite an army. But he had followers that helped him fight demons and devils."

ooOOoo

 _First there were six. Friends of Sparda who observed what he did, were totally baffled by his strange behaviour, and eventually joined him in his fight to protect the human race. In the end the group totalled twenty four, males and females, trained by Sparda, following his teaching. Twenty four that had found their soul. Or so they thought. There proved to be a traitor among them._

 _The day of the betrayal four were not with the group. Issa, Ixihra, Caim and Azza were sent on a separate mission. These were four of the six closest to Sparda. They did not like the idea._

" _There have been too many close calls lately," Azza said._

 _They suspected foul play, though they never would have searched within the group._

 _The four did as instructed by Sparda. They rid the small town Milton of its demon problem, went to the arranged meeting point, and waited, but Sparda and their colleagues didn't appear. Two days later one finally showed up, Madar, the fifth of their little group. He had been severely injured and his wounds had not healed yet._

 _He told them about the trap, the betrayal, the death of their close comrade Berith, the sixth of the friends, who had died trying to defend Sparda. He told them the bitter fight and the deaths of most of those involved. A few of the attackers fled to save their hides. By then Sparda had been downed, though not before killing the traitor Pyro. The two groups fought until only two were standing, just. He had managed to kill his opponent, also just. Then he had found Sparda._

 _Sparda had given him the swords he had used to take to his twin sons. His instruction to the remaining survivors was that they should disperse. They would be hunted down, and perhaps if they hid in the crowd they could survive._

 _The last thing Sparda had whispered was, "My family."_

 _Sparda had kept his family's location a secret to all but the one, hoping they would not be found. The swords were given to Sparda's wife. The survivors dispersed and hid well. A few years later rumours reached them, and they knew that Sparda's family had been killed. They met one more time._

 _Afterwards they continued hiding. They immersed themselves so thoroughly into human life that each of them, unknown to the others, fell in love and mated with a human. Some even married their human partner. But the hunt had not been called off. Eventually they were located and one after the other they were killed._

ooOOoo

"I was not aware Sparda had followers. I presume he needed them. Having left his power in the Demon World he needed somebody to protect him."

"Did you really know Sparda? Because if you did you should know that he left most of his demon power behind, but found power inside himself, more than what he left behind. It took an army to defeat and kill him. He found strength in his need to protect, in his soul."

It was hard to learn how little he had known of his father. Would the outcome have been different if his remaining followers had been present to defend Eva and her twins? No! Logic told him that five demons could not have stopped the horde that had swept their home. They would have been killed and there wouldn't even have been a promise of Sparda's Army.

Sparda's soul lived on. Sparda's soul, a recurring theme it seemed. Even his brother had used the word, all those years ago.

 _We are the sons of Sparda. Within each of us flows his blood. But more importantly, his soul! And now my soul is saying it wants to stop you!_

Sparda's soul lived on in Dante, in these children who wanted to be Sparda's Army. And what about him, Sparda's firstborn? Was Sparda's soul a part of him as well? Was that why he wanted to protect these children?

"Ridiculous!"

"What's ridiculous?"

"Nothing. Continue. The priestess lived and had descendants, and five soldiers in Sparda's Army survived and went their separate ways, mated and had children. And of course by sheer coincidence you were all sent to the same orphanage."

"Don't be stupid. It was on purpose."

"On purpose? Somebody in the system knew who you were?"

"Course not. They just like to put difficult kids in the same place, with bars on the windows and all."

"Tell me the story. You know you want to."

"Yes, but you don't want to hear it. You don't believe me. You don't _want_ to believe me. You prefer the lie that Sparda killed a woman, and you tell yourself that your fancy professor would know better than a kid like me."

It unnerved Vergil that the child could read him so well. It was true. He preferred to believe what Arkham had told him, because if Sparda had killed an innocent woman, for whatever reason, then perhaps his own coldness, his lack of feeling, his contempt for humans was something he had inherited from Sparda, the devil. If the boy was telling the truth then Sparda would denounce him because he had become the enemy.

Unwanted a memory came into his conscious mind, something he hadn't even considered at the time. The opening of the path into the underworld, the blood spilled, Sparda's blood through his brother and himself, the priestess' blood through her descendant, Arkham's daughter. She hadn't even known about her ancestor, unlike the boy. So perhaps Arkham hadn't been told by his wife, but had found it in books. Not really eyewitness accounts.

 _Idiot! Hadn't the boy just told him that his mother had been the only female descendant? She had had an older brother, a professor who had married a sweet wife. Sweet and innocent, like the girl, Arkham's daughter. And like the wife Arkham had killed to become a demon. Arkham himself had been the priestess' offspring._

Arkham's daughter didn't die. She didn't even spill all that much blood. Just before the seal broke she had been standing next to Dante and him, the bayonet of her weapon against Arkham's throat. If so little of the priestess' blood had been needed to undo the seal, then why would she have to die to activate the thing in the first place? Logic said she didn't; logic said Arkham had lied and the boy told the truth. Logic said he had wasted his life, looking for power in the wrong place. It had not been in the Demon World, in Sparda's sword. He should have found it within himself, in Sparda's soul like Dante had.

He stifled the groan that rose within him at the thought of his wasted life.

"Tell me the story, boy. I will listen. How did Sparda's New Army begin?"

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note** :

Zero God Of Destruction: Thank you for following the story and adding it to your favourites.

bastien756: Thank you for following and favouriting the story and me.

Jimli - Vergil doesn't consciously decide not to call Jim 'boy' anymore. He doesn't realise that he says 'Jim', much like in an earlier chapter he didn't realise it when he wished he could close the portal in the car park like Sparda would have done.

Revolverwild - Thank you for your review. I really wanted to make the children as different in the story as they were in my mind.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 7**

Jim frowned when he was called 'boy' again, but he decided not to react to it. He wanted to tell Vergil what he knew of the end Sparda's Army.

ooOOoo

"When Issa, Ixihra, Caim, Azza, and Madar dispersed it was like the end of Sparda's Army. They would meet one more time and then never again. They would never fight together again. Madar first took the swords Yamato and Rebellion to Sparda's wife, Eva. He found her home alone. He gave her the swords and she knew what had happened. He didn't have to tell her. He stayed with her for a while until he thought she would be okay, and left before Sparda's sons came home from school. He was a devil, sure, but Madar did not want to tell two children that their father would never come home again."

Vergil realised that Eva had been far from okay. She had taken Sparda's death so badly that she had gone in denial. She had never told either him or Dante that Sparda could not come back. Just like her sons she had gone quiet at every noise that might be the sign of his return. Just like them she had felt disappointed. With a shock Vergil realised how far she had gone in her denial. She had believed he would come back. Eva had actually forgotten that Sparda was no more.

 _On the first day of the holidays Eva had given Rebellion and Yamato to her sons._

 _He had asked, "Didn't father take these with him into battle?"_

" _No," Eva had answered. "I hid them until the holidays so you would not be distracted at school."_

Eva had not lied. This had been her truth that she had clung to so as not to drown in sorrow. Dante and he had never known that their father's last thought had been his family. He had not abandoned his family as Dante seemed to think.

"You're not listening, are you?"

The voice of the boy cut through Vergil's reflections.

"Continue."

"Those were not pleasant thoughts, were they?"

"No, they were not. Continue with your story."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I don't. Tell me about Sparda's Army."

"It might help."

"No, it won't help. Are you going to continue or shall I go?"

"Okay, have it your way."

"Quite."

"Where was I? "

"Issa, Ixihra, Caim, Azza, and Madar, the remnant of Sparda's Army had dispersed."

"Yes, I know now."

ooOOoo

 _Just once did the five come together again. Rumour had reached them that Sparda's family had been killed. They wanted to know whether this was true or not. Somehow they had all found the way to the park with Sparda's statue. From there Madar led them to the mansion. What they found there confirmed that the rumour was the unfortunate truth. Madar remembered the swords and all five searched the mansion for them but all they found was destruction. The family was gone, no doubt killed judging by the smell of blood that still hung about the place, and Sparda's swords were lost, presumably taken by the horde that had attacked Sparda's family._

" _We should have been here to protect them," Azza growled._

" _Sparda didn't want it. He gave me clear instructions," Madar responded._

" _We couldn't have saved them anyway, Azza. Didn't you see the tracks? The place must have been overrun with demons and devils."_

" _I realise that Ixihra, but we should have been here. We could have tried to get them away from here."_

 _Madar sighed. "I agree with you Azza. I'm not sure why Sparda didn't want us to protect them."_

" _Because he saw our presence as a threat to them," Issa suggested. "The five of us together will attract demons like flies. Sparda had kept his family hidden, and our attempt to protect them would have attracted the enemy in no time. I think they were found by accident. I think the blood of Sparda was strong in his children and some demon just happened upon them and recognised Sparda's scent."_

" _I think Issa is right," Caim said. "It is regrettable that Sparda's sons are lost, but we could not have prevented it."_

" _You're a cold customer, Caim. Regrettable? It's a bloody disaster, that's what it is. Sparda's bloodline is lost. His strength is lost. Who can stand up to Mundus should he manage to free himself? And what if another like Mundus arises?"_

" _Don't lose your head, Azza. Should that happen then we'll have to find a way to defeat the enemy. I'm not going to worry about it until then. I think we should return to our homes and continue as Sparda intended. What say you, Madar?"_

" _I agree, Caim. That's exactly what we should do. If we need to come together again, we'll meet up at Sparda's statue. Does that meet with your approval, Azza?"_

" _Yes, it does. If trouble arises we'll be here."_

 _They didn't know they would never meet again._

ooOOoo

"Where were they when Temen-ni-gru was raised about twenty-five years ago? "

"Temmenywhat?"

"Temen-ni-gru, the tower where Sparda had left his sword Force Edge with his power, and where the priestess did not die, according to you. Somebody raised the tower to get to Sparda's power. _Sparda's Army_ didn't try to prevent it, did they? Too comfortably hidden among the humans, were they?"

"I don't know, do I? I wasn't told what the tower was called. Why are you so angry anyway?"

"I'm not a-"

He _was_ angry. Why was he angry? It's not as if he had needed extra opposition. Arkham and Dante had been more than enough to deal with. The whole venture had turned into a gigantic disaster which he had felt the need to improve upon by jumping into the Demon World and challenging Mundus.

What was wrong with him? He had always been so sure of his goal, power, more power, Sparda's power. Now he had been thinking about Sparda's soul. He'd been told that's where Sparda's power lay; but Sparda's soul was more than his power. His soul was his protection of humans, his love for his human wife and his half-breed children. If Dante had been right and they had not just Sparda's blood but his soul as well, what had happened to his part of Sparda's soul? He had become cold, callous, uncaring, a psychopath who wanted to kill his brother. And yet he had said to Dante, " _Without strength, you cannot protect anything_."

There was that word 'protect' again. He hadn't confronted Mundus to protect but to rule. He had wanted what he thought Sparda should have taken. But Sparda had chosen differently. Leaving his demon power locked in the world it belonged to, finding new strength within himself, he had continued the task he had begun long ago: to protect humankind from those that wanted to harm them. He was Sparda's firstborn, but Dante was his true heir. He, Vergil, had failed Sparda.

He didn't think a spirit could shiver, but he did. The boy had noticed something.

"Are you okay? You don't look well. You turned all pale."

"I am a spirit or a ghost. They are pale by nature."

"You seemed pale even for a ghost. You're sure you're okay."

"I'm sure. Continue your story, boy."

"Okay. By the way, my name is still 'Jim'."

"Of course. Please continue, Jim."

ooOOoo

 _The small remnant of Sparda's Army lived as humans, rarely if ever taking their devil form. In the beginning they moved regularly because they were still being hunted. Eventually the hunt for Sparda's followers seemed to have been called off. They had settled, took jobs, and eventually they found human partners._

 _Surprisingly Azza, the most demonic looking among them even in human form, was the first to find a partner. His marriage to Carmelita had rather explosive moments. Even though she knew Azza was not human Carmelita was not afraid of him. When their boy Damian was born, he became the centre of their lives and the fighting ceased, though the passion remained._

 _Issa lived in a big city, and worked in a boutique where her shocking-pink hair and golden eyes were an asset instead of a hindrance. After a while she had an affair with the house designer. When Issa found she was pregnant the designer ended the relationship, claiming that family life would destroy his creativity. Issa moved to a different city where she opened a shop, successfully selling her own designs._

 _Caim the always calm found a wife who resembled a bumblebee in her girth and busyness. He was the calm centre around which she whirled. He calmed her down and she made him smile._

 _Ixihra had a steady relationship though she never married. Her partner was a sailor who could be away from home for long periods. Whenever he was home they had a wild time together. Twice she presented him with a baby. He was proud of his children, especially the boy._

 _Madar was the last to find a woman. She was ill and had been warned not to have children. She ignored the warning. She thought that surely the doctors were wrong because she felt fine. Shortly after the birth of Nicholas her illness flared up worse than before. Because she had tried to hide it Madar could not help her anymore when he found out. He was left with his baby boy._

 _Madar took his son to day-care every morning and collected him punctually every evening. That saved the boy's life. When the hordes found Madar his son was safe. He fought valiantly but he couldn't take on so many on his own. When he didn't come to collect his son the police was warned. The amount of blood they found in the house made them fear the worst. Nicholas, just one year old at the time, was sent to an orphanage._

 _Azza and Carmelita were murdered in the same brutal way. Damian found his dead parents. He too was taken to the local orphanage, but because of his troubled dreams and violent behaviour he was sent to a special orphanage, a place for 'difficult' children._

 _A year later Issa was murdered in her shop, together with four customers who were present at the time. An assistant managed to escape via the backdoor, but nobody believed her story of devils attacking the shop. It was believed the gang who had attacked the shop had been wearing Halloween masks. At the orphanage Carrie was a target for the bullies because of the pink shine to her hair. She already knew how to throw a punch and make it count. Two years later she was called 'disruptive' and sent to the orphanage where Damian lived._

 _Meanwhile the two remaining followers of Sparda had been found and murdered as well._

 _Caim and his wife had been working in the garden. He had smelled the approaching horde and had told his wife to take Tyler and leave the house as quickly as possible. The look on her husband's face told Mimi she shouldn't argue. She told her son to leave his homework and had to wait impatiently until he had put his books away. They left the house just in time to save their lives. The fear and stress of the day exacerbated a heart problem Mimi hadn't known about. She didn't survive the shock of her husband's death._

 _Ixihra's children were on an outing with their neighbour and her children. Ixihra's partner was expected and this way they would have some time to themselves before the children came home. When Ixihra heard the doorbell she ran to open it. Her sailor fell dead in her arms, pierced by a sword. Before she realised what had happened the demons had killed her as well._

 _The following year the orphanage for 'difficult cases' received four more inmates. Nicholas, Tyler, Tessie and Cody had already met on the train that took them there. Damian and Carrie had become friends by default. They recognised the four newcomers as being half-devils like themselves. Together the six children became a kind of family in the bleak place._

 _Two years later another little boy was brought to the orphanage, partly because it was the nearest, but also because his teachers and some neighbours said he was 'strange'. He had no demonic blood, so the six half-devils ignored him, but he recognised them for what they were and kept following them._

 _One day he heard Damian say, "We are all that's left. We are Sparda's Army now."_

 _That was Jim's entry in the group. He knew about Sparda. When they realised one of his gifts was to detect demons and devils they accepted him as part of their strange family, their mascot._

ooOOoo

"When Damian was eighteen he was more or less chucked out on the street because he was a grownup. I could talk to him, like I did to you, with thoughts. He got rope ladders and stuff to get us out. I told the others about it, and we escaped. We had to hide of course until we came here. The humans from the orphanage won't find us here, but now demons have. And you say there are worse than the ones we've seen."

"Do _you_ think that your friends' parents could not have defended themselves against the sort of demons you have seen so far? If they were part of Sparda's Army and trained by him, they could have taken on those demons single handed."

"Why don't you teach them? I'm sure you could."

"I need to find Mundus' temple. I'm looking for my body, and it could be there."

"I think there might have been a temple not so far from here, but it was all burned down to the ground. There was only one wall where it was cut into the rock, but the rest was just blackened wood and stones, and plants that had started to grow."

"No body? No grave or box that could hold one? No underground level that had remained intact?"

Jim shook his head and said 'no' to every question. This too was a dead end in the search for his body. Vergil realised he had run out of options. How and where could he look for his body?

Jim had been watching Vergil intently, trying to read on his face what he was thinking.

"Why don't you help us until you've worked out what to do next?" he suggested.

"All right, I will," Vergil answered to his own surprise.

Was he really going to help these youngsters? It seemed he was. Why did he want to do it? Did he want Sparda to be proud of his firstborn? Why? Sparda was dead. He would never know. He didn't even know that Dante had followed in his footsteps.

Logic said he should leave these children, find his body, and get his amulet and Yamato back from Dante. These youngsters meant nothing to him beyond being vaguely connected to Sparda, offspring of his father's followers. He had never even known his father _had_ followers.

"You do a lot of thinking, don't you? Why?"

"Because I do. If you have finished your chores we can go to your friends. We will try to make them the best they can be."

"Okay, let's go."

Jim opened the door and waited until Vergil had floated out before following him. From the porch they looked at the sparring duos.

"Hey, I still don't know your name," Jim said as if he had suddenly remembered.

"No, you don't," Vergil answered. "Come on, we will sort out your friends."

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note : No reviews last week. I hope you all still like this story.**


	8. Chapter 8

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 8**

They made their way to where the young half-devils were sparring. Vergil felt nervous. He berated himself for it. Why should he be nervous? He was Vergil, son of Sparda. He had also never done this sort of thing. He didn't even know how to talk to young people. If this was the beginning of a new life it was seriously unnerving. Admittedly something inside him had changed during the years of his imprisonment in the dark bubble, but this was way out of his comfort zone. Well, he would see where this _new life_ would lead him. For now he had a job to do. He would try to make this group of youngsters a true reincarnation of Sparda's Army.

Before Jim could call out to the fighting half-devils Vergil stopped him.

"Wait! Let me study them for a while. I need to know where their weaknesses are," he told the boy.

The three older teenagers faced the three younger ones. They changed sparring partners regularly which allowed Vergil to see their teaching methods. Carrie and Tyler had obviously been trained to a good standard. Tyler didn't need any correction. He regularly interrupted the fight to tell the youngsters what they did wrong instead of letting them feel it, but for the rest he was a good teacher. Carrie was too friendly. Nicholas especially was twirling his sword too regularly, and turning round too slowly. The girl should correct such behaviour, verbally like Tyler did, or by stabbing him in the backside like Vergil himself would have done. Damien still taught the kids some silly moves that would be dangerous against experienced fighters.

"Jim, ask them if this is a training session for sword fighting, or just a keep-fit class."

Of course it was Damian who answered.

"Is it your ghost friend again? Why doesn't he mind his own business?"

"He wants to help. What's wrong with that?" Jim asked.

"Help? All he does is criticise, and besides, he's a ghost. I don't want to listen to somebody who has been defeated by a better man."

"That annoying, arrogant braggart. If I had my body I would show him," Vergil fumed.

"Use mine."

Jim's answer entered his mind like a sweet whisper, tempting him to say yes, seducing him to act against his principles.

" _Use the boy's body,_ " the whisper said. " _Your body is probably gone, destroyed. Use this body, freely offered. What are you waiting for? Take it._ "

"No!" he growled, snarled at the tempter inside him, shutting up the whispering voice.

"No," he repeated in a calmer voice. "Only weak, despicable demons without honour possess bodies like that. I will _not_ do it."

"It's not possessing, is it? I just let you use my body for a bit. It's not as if you take it, and I'm not giving it up to you, just lending it. You could show Damian."

The boy smiled at him, eyes twinkling with mischief. He clearly relished the idea of putting Damian in his place. Had he been at the receiving end of Damian's sharp tongue once too often?

"It's too dangerous for you."

"You mean I could get hurt in the fight?"

"No. What I mean is that I might keep your body, refuse to give it up. I cannot let you run the risk."

"I would kick you out if you tried to do that." The boy's smile was even wider if that were possible. "But of course I won't need to do that. Your honour wouldn't allow you to keep the body, would it?"

Vergil was surprised that the youngster knew so much about him, but the boy was right of course. His honour would not allow him to act in such a despicable manner, and it wouldn't fail him. It hadn't even failed him when he was Mundus' puppet. Hadn't Dante called him a man with guts and honour? Mundus himself hadn't been able to destroy that.

"I'm not a demon, Jim. I don't know if I _could_ possess your body."

"You're a ghost, or a spirit, or something like that. You could try. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. But if it does, well, I think Damian could do with a lesson. Don't you think?"

"Okay. Let us try."

Vergil wasn't sure how to go about possessing someone. He had never been interested in the process. Why would he?

Jim apparently knew what to do. The boy stepped sideways and turned. He was now standing in front of Vergil.

"You need to step forward," Jim instructed.

Vergil did as he was told. Suddenly he felt the ground beneath his feet … Jim's feet. Slowly his ghostly body contracted until it fitted inside the boy's frame. A pulse of energy went through Vergil and then he could feel the rest of the body. He flexed the fingers, bent the knees, then ran around. It had worked. He cartwheeled across the field. He was in total control of the young body.

"Told you it would work," a voice whispered.

Vergil froze, then he realised it wasn't _the_ voice, the tempter. It was Jim talking to him inside his head. He felt the presence of the boy, and something else, something light that eluded him, something that kept away from his scrutiny. It didn't matter. There was no threat from either the boy or the other presence.

As soon as he felt in total control of the body, Vergil wanted a sword. The young half-devils had brought some extra swords to the training field. They didn't have a katana, but Vergil found a sword that would do fine. After all, Sparda had made sure that both his sons knew how to use different swords and the one he held was similar to the one he'd used in training against his brother before he'd started using Yamato.

Sword in hand Vergil walked towards Damian.

"Are you ready for your first lesson, boy?" he asked the teenager who towered above him.

Damian started to laugh.

"Jimmy, what's happened to your voice? Did you catch a cold?"

"Foolishness. You know this is not Jim's voice. I am Jim's ghostly friend. He allowed me to use his body. Are you ready to fight me? Or are you afraid of a ghost after all?"

"Jim! Stop this! I don't want to hurt you!" Damian cried out.

"You will have to get past me first."

"Where is Jim? What did you do to him?" Carrie asked with a worried look on her face.

Vergil just glared at Damian, ignoring the girl.

"It's okay, Carrie. I'm still here." Jim's voice piped up.

To Vergil it was the strangest sensation to feel the lips move as of their own accord. He wondered if that was something possessed people felt all the time. It certainly proved that the boy was strong in his own way. Humans could not normally break through like that.

"Okay, Jimmy. If you think this friend of yours can fight, I'll fight him. But don't come crying afterwards if you get a cut."

The only answer Damian got was a snort. Vergil was not entirely sure if he had snorted or Jim; or perhaps they had done it simultaneously.

Vergil studied the teen opposite him. He was ready for the charge and jumped out of the way. That's when he realised he was not just a ghost. He was more. In the same way that all his strength and power had once been transferred to the Nelo Angelo body it had now become part of Jim's body.

Damian spun round in surprise at the distance his opponent had moved. He realised he had to be more careful, but his every attack was parried. Time after time the swords clashed against each other. The others looked on as the two swordsmen matched each other blow for blow. It was like an intricate dance, a weird ballet.

So far Vergil hadn't even tried to hit Damian. He was waiting for the too flash moves. Their blades met again, both holding the pressure. Damian gave a mighty push and twirled away. Vergil waited until Damian was facing away from him and pricked him in the backside.

"That's one," he said. "Do _not_ turn your back towards your opponent. A cut in your buns would be the least of your problems."

Damian was angry and charged blindly towards the slight figure. Vergil waited until the last moment, then twirled out of the teenager's way and nicked him in the backside again.

"That's lesson two. Never lose your composure. You _will_ make mistakes if you do."

Damian became careful now. He defended waiting for an opening while Vergil became more aggressive. To the onlookers' amazement the smaller boy caused the taller one to lose ground. Vergil had noticed the uneven surface they were heading for and pushed Damian further backward until the teen stumbled and fell. Before he could recover, Vergil's sword was at his throat.

"Lesson three. Be aware of the surroundings you are fighting in. The terrain can work to your advantage."

"Okay, okay, you've made your point," Damian grumbled from his prostrate position. "You know how to fight. Teach us then. Make us all as good as you."

"I will make you the best you can be, better even than you think possible. And I will teach all seven of you. Jim needs to be able to defend himself as well."

"It's too dangerous," Carrie objected. "He hasn't got devil blood; he doesn't heal like we do."

"Don't be foolish, girl. One day you may not be able to defend him. Even if he is inside a demon could enter the house. What then? He needs to be able to kill that demon, even if he has to use … Guns."

Vergil spat out the last word as if it had a filthy taste. Guns were crude if effective weapons. Perhaps not a bad idea for some weaker people, but unworthy of a true warrior.

"I don't like guns," Jim said, taking control of his mouth for the second time. "Guns are too noisy. I can throw though. I could throw knives or ninja stars. That would be cool."

"I'm not sure it's a good idea to teach you to fight, Jim. You'll want to join us when we're attacked and that's too dangerous for you."

"I agree with Jim's ghost, Carrie. We fail in our defence of Jim if we don't teach him to look after himself. That has been my thought from the start."

"I know, Tyler. But I'm afraid Jim will look for danger if we teach him to fight."

"Jim is not that stupid. And if he is we only postpone the inevitable by wrapping him in cotton like you do."

"You're as cold as ice, aren't you Tyler. Mother told me about her colleagues in Sparda's Army and about your father. You're just like Caim. Absolutely no feelings."

"Don't confuse logic with a lack of feelings, Carrie. I don't want to lose Jim, but if he chooses to act like an idiot, we can't help him. And if he dies because we didn't teach him to look after himself, we'll never be able to live with the guilt. You least of all."

Carrie conceded, "You are right, Tyler. Jim has to be able to take care of himself. Jim, promise me you'll stay inside. I don't want you to do anything silly. Promise."

"I won't do anything silly, Carrie. I promise. I'll be careful, even when I can fight."

Vergil was not surprised at the outcome. He wondered if anyone else had noticed that Jim never promised to stay inside. Tyler winked, so perhaps _he had_.

"If you all accept me as your teacher you will have to do what I tell you, you will have to do it the way I tell you, and you will never contradict me. Is that clear?"

Jim's telepathic answer was like a starburst in Vergil's mind. The boy was certainly enthusiastic that he would finally be allowed to fight. Then Vergil looked at each of the others in turn.

Nicholas and Cody nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, sure," Tessie agreed.

Damian accepted reluctantly saying, "I'm sure you'll teach us to obey you."

Carrie said, "As you wish."

Tyler objected. "I don't see why Damian, Carrie and I should listen. We were trained by a member of Sparda's Army, Sparda's most trusted even. We have taught the little ones what they know. Why do we have to listen to you?"

"Because I say so. But I can show you why as well."

Vergil realised that he would have to defeat Tyler to be accepted by the proud teenager. Tyler was a cool customer. He could not be so easily tricked into losing his composure as Damian had been. Insults and taunts would affect the teen as little as water did a duck. Only skill could convince Tyler that Vergil could indeed train him and was worth paying attention to. The two stood opposite each other, weapons drawn. They circled each other trying to find a weakness in their opponents defence. They were patient, didn't hurry, didn't get flustered. The others watched the two unequal sparring partners. On one side the teenagers who, despite his average height, was a lot taller and heavier than the youngster, still a child, who faced him. Of course the child's body was now controlled by a son of Sparda who had been taught by Sparda, and had survived the Demon World as a child. Size was unimportant.

Tyler saw his chance when Vergil slightly lowered his sword. He thought the body of the human child was tiring and attacked. Vergil, who had only feigned tiredness to tempt the teen, was ready. The fight started in earnest now. Neither could get an advantage and the swords kept clanging into each other as each attack was parried. Half an hour later the young half-devil still didn't tire, and as Vergil had expected neither did he, even inside a human body.

Slowly Vergil started to increase the speed of his attacks. He spotted the flicker of uncertainty in Tyler's eyes and knew he had won. Faster and faster the swords moved. Vergil parried Tyler's attack with ease and nearly broke through his defence a few times. He controlled the flow of the fight while the teen was now trying to catch up with the rhythm of the attack.

The first clear opening in Tyler's defence was swiftly exploited by Vergil. Blood flowed from the cut in the boy's arm. Still the fight continued even though Tyler now received cut after cut. He was reduced to defending himself but did not want to give up.

Eventually Carrie stopped the fight.

First she shouted, "Stop!" but that was ignored by the fighters.

Angry because they continued the pointless battle she pushed Tyler out of the way and faced Vergil herself.

"Stop it!" she shouted again. "You have proved that you can teach us. I think even Tyler will acknowledge that. There is no need to kill him and finish the job of the demons that attacked us."

She too felt the strength and speed of the being that was using Jim's body. Only a demon could fight so relentlessly and Carrie realised she was involved in a fight she could not win. Then suddenly it was all over. One moment she was backing away from a mad attacker, next moment the attack stopped.

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note : Thank you to Jimli and revolverwild for the reviews. Good to hear you still like the story. There's a lot more to come.**


	9. Chapter 9

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 9**

"Wow, that was something else," Jim said, standing there with the sword still in his hand.

"Jim? Is that you?"

"Yes, of course it's me. Can't you tell?"

The big grin on the young face told Carrie it was indeed Jim. The cold, nearly murderous look she had seen was completely gone.

"He's no longer possessing you, is he?"

"No. I told you he wouldn't. He's some teacher, isn't he?"

"A teacher? A murderous lunatic you mean. I don't want you to do this again."

"Carrie, I want him to teach me," Tyler interrupted. "I have never had a sparring match like this. Not even with my father. He stretched me to my limits and that is what we need to do if we want to be the best. Sparda's Army cannot afford to be less."

"I agree, Carrie. I don't like to be stabbed in the ass, but I want to be able to fight like that. It was so fast I could hardly follow at times. Man, that was fast."

"He can't teach us unless we all agree to this. Tessie, what do you think?"

"Are you nuts, Carrie? Of course he has to teach us," the young girl answered.

"I want to learn what Tessie learns," Cody said.

"And me," Nicholas added. "Did you see how Jim was fighting? That was … wow!"

"That was not Jim, Nicholas. And that's what worries me. What happens to Jim when that thing keeps taking over?"

"I watch and learn," Jim assured her. "I'm not unconscious or asleep or anything like that. I just sit back and watch what he does. It's like a super 3D movie."

"See, we all agree. Even Jimmy. And if he doesn't mind and thinks it's okay, why should we think differently. This could be the best thing ever," Damian enthused.

"You have the deciding vote, Carrie. You said we had to be unanimous, and before this fight even you agreed we should let him train us. Are we going to take this opportunity, or deny ourselves the best teacher we could ever have?" Tyler asked.

"Okay, unanimous it is, but if anything strange happens you have to tell us, Jim. You are not to take risks. Okay?"

"Okay, Carrie, but I'm sure nothing is going to happen."

"Is your ghostly friend going to tell us how he wants to do this teaching?"

"He's not here anymore, Damian. He left."

"He left? I thought this whole circus was because he wanted to teach us. That's why he fought me and Tyler, isn't it? To prove he could teach us?"

"Yes, but when Carrie jumped in he sort of suddenly left. He whooshed away, but I don't know where."

Jim looked around and up in the trees that surrounded them, but could not detect the strange spirit being who had been so interested in Sparda.

"I can't see him anywhere."

"He took off? I just knew from the first that bastard couldn't be trusted," Damian said.

"What? A moment ago you wanted to be taught by him, and he was the best thing ever. Now you say you always suspected him. If he returns you'll be singing his praises again. Can you keep track of your opinion of him?" Carrie asked. "I would like to know why he went, and where he's gone to. Perhaps he'll tell the demons exactly how well we can fight, and how best to defeat us."

"No, Carrie. He won't sell us to the demons. He's not a bad person. Something must have happened that made him go. I wish I knew what, but he went too fast."

"Well, that stupid ghost is gone and won't be training us, so we'd better carry on as before. Tyler, you okay to continue?"

"Five more minutes, Damian, then I'll be fine. The cuts have nearly healed."

Jim was slowly walking back to the cabin, looking around, trying to find the spirit he had shared his body with. He couldn't see the smallest glimpse of the ghostly figure anywhere. The boy was worried. What had happened to the being he had started to see as a friend?

ooOOoo

Vergil was already miles away, somewhere deep in the woods behind the house of the seven children, thinking about what had happened there. He had wanted to teach the children, much as Sparda had taught him and Dante. He had shown Damian that his flashy moves were dangerous against a well-trained opponent. As a result they had all agreed to do as he said, all except Tyler.

He had agreed to show Tyler that even he could do with some extra lessons. The sparring had gone well. He had built up speed slowly, and the boy had matched him for a long time. Then had come that flicker of uncertainty, a split second no more, and afterwards Tyler had shown the same calm confidence as before. Without realising it he had stopped testing and had started attacking the teen, wanting to see fear in the eyes of the cool young man.

Tyler was unflappable, sure of himself, had reason to be so, and Vergil had wanted to grind him down with his furious attack. He could have killed the boy. Why would he do that? Because he had wanted to destroy to boy's coolness, get a reaction from him. Then the girl had pushed the injured boy out of the way, and had faced him. That's when he realised he had been attacking Tyler, not teaching him. Tyler hadn't lost his cool attitude, he had. Instantly he had left Jim's body and had fled from what he had nearly done.

Tyler was a lot like him in his cool unsentimental ways. ' _As cold as ice, absolutely no feelings_ ,' the girl had said. Vergil realised he had been attacking himself in Tyler. He had wanted to see some human response from the ice-cold, unfeeling young half-devil. But Tyler was not Vergil's doppelganger. Tyler was cool, yes, and logical, but he did have feelings. He cared for Jim and for his friends. With a groan Vergil realised that Tyler was the boy he could have been if Sparda hadn't died, if the attack on their home hadn't happened, if he hadn't grown up in the Demon World where feelings of any kind were a hindrance.

But the past didn't matter. It could not be rewritten. And why was it so important that Tyler showed his feelings anyway? Vergil was all too aware that he had never cared for them. He had always despised humans and their rampant emotions, had had a low opinion of his brother because Dante was never afraid to show his feelings, was proud of his humanity.

Strength, power, those were the things he had always relied on, but while he'd been trapped in the black void he had had time to think. Unbidden thoughts had come to him. Thoughts about his brother and Sparda, but especially about his mother, Eva, a human. He had loved his mother, but in despising his humanity he had despised her. Dante had cherished his humanity because of his mother, and Sparda, the great Sparda had loved her, a human female. Sparda, the demon who had found his soul.

 _Soul? Humanity? Remember, might is everything,_ the tempting voice whispered. _The boy will help you create an army, Vergil's Army. You will teach them._

"No, I will not use him. The boy trusts me, and I will not betray his trust."

 _Why not? He's just a human, a puny little human asking to be used. That's all humans are, objects to be used by demons like us._

"I will not do it."

 _Come on. You know you want to use him, and the half-breeds. They will help us get the power we seek, Sparda's power that will make us emperor of the Demon World and the Human World, like we deserve to be._

"We? What we? There is no 'we'. You are nothing. Vile thoughts that I will supress."

The tempting voice did not respond. Clearly it was just part of himself, the part that had pushed him towards every failed attempt to gain power. He had to go back, explain to Jim why he couldn't stay and teach them. He would tell him who he was and what he had done. The boy would understand that he couldn't be trusted.

Vergil returned to the cabin in the woods where seven orphans lived, six half-devils and a special boy, Sparda's Army. All his musings had taken time though. When he arrived at the house, the children were already inside, and the lights were out. He would have to wait until the following day.

ooOOoo

Early in the morning the children left the house for their pre-breakfast training. Jim was with them, holding the sword Vergil had used the previous day.

"Exited, aren't you, Jim? Well, if that ghost of yours won't teach us, we'll teach you. You'll see. We don't need that coward."

"Damian, hold your tongue! You are upsetting Jim. Whatever the ghost was, he was not a coward. Something happened while we were fighting. Something angered him, something about me. I fear we will never know why he went, but it is regrettable."

"Thanks, Tyler. I know Damian is just talking out of his sore backside. He was a man of honour, not a bad person or a coward."

Vergil tried to catch the boy's attention. He called Jim's name several times but got no response. He tried one more time, not with his name.

"Boy!"

This time it worked. The child looked up at the tree where Vergil was sitting.

"Don't tell the others," Vergil quickly instructed. "I need to talk to you alone."

Jim nodded, and said to his friends, "I think I'll get everything ready for breakfast first."

"Cold feet, Jimboy?"

"No, but it will save time later. Besides I have to find a pillow to put on your chair, Damian."

They all laughed except for Damian, who stormed off in a huff, quickly followed by the five other half-devils.

Vergil preceded Jim back inside the cabin.

"I'm glad you're back," Jim said. "The others will be as well. They were looking forward to being taught by you."

"How can they be happy? I nearly killed Tyler. If the girl had not stopped me …"

"Tyler's still up for it though. He said it was the best sparring ever."

"That was an attack, Jim. That's why I cannot stay. I'm not a coward, but I _am_ bad. I'm worse than bad. I'm evil."

"I don't believe that."

"Jim, it's not just what I nearly did to Tyler. I have done … _things_ in the past."

"Sparda's Army had done things in the past. Sparda himself was a devil, so he must have done bad things once, but he changed. They all changed and helped us humans. Their past is not remembered, only the good that they did lives on."

"If Sparda saw me, he would disown me. He would no longer call me his son."

Jim's mouth fell open in surprise.

"Close your mouth, Jim, before the bugs fly in. I am Vergil, son of Sparda and his wife Eva. After Sparda's disappearance our home was attacked and Eva was killed, but my brother Dante and I survived. I was dragged into the Demon World. I was pinned to a gravestone, stabbed several times. There my devil was awakened, together with the need to get more power, always more power. I got out of that place when I was about as old as Tyler is now. I had heard that Sparda had left his sword and his demonic strength somewhere to keep the Demon World and the Human World separate. In my search I finally found someone who wanted to help me. We found the tower Temen-ni-gru where Sparda's power was locked away. My brother tried to stop me, but I stabbed him."

A gasp from Jim stopped Vergil's flow. He wondered why he was opening up to the boy. He had never confided in anyone, had never felt the need to either. The boy needed to know though, needed to know who he had trusted, had to realise he was dangerous..

Vergil continued, "That is the person I am, Jim. I did not kill my brother. I only woke up his devil. In the end we fought together side by side against my so-called helper who had wanted Sparda's power for himself. We defeated him, Sparda's sons reunited, but it did not last. I still wanted Sparda's sword and his power. Dante stopped me, and I jumped into the Demon World where, like a fool, I took on Mundus and lost. As his slave I did some dreadful things, until the day I was sent out to kill an intruder. I was facing my brother again and that brought back my memory. Dante defeated me again. I ended up trapped in a dark bubble until one day it burst. Since then I have been looking for my body, until I came here."

"And you helped us beat those demons, didn't you? So you see, you are not bad at all. All the rest is just history."

"Jim, I wanted to use you and your friends for my own end. I wanted to turn Sparda's Army into Vergil's Army and conquer the Demon and the Human World with it. I wanted to be emperor of both worlds. That's why I cannot stay with you. Something inside me drives me on to seek more and more power. This urge has possessed me from the moment my devil was first activated. I am dangerous, Jim."

"Perhaps you really are possessed. Shall I look?"

"I'm not possessed by a demon. Part of me is evil, but it is still me."

"Doesn't hurt to look."

"And you will not stop asking until I have allowed you that look, will you? You are capable of following me until I let you have your way."

"You bet I will," Jim said with the usual big smile and shining eyes.

"Okay, have your look."

Vergil kept quiet under the boy's scrutiny. He didn't feel much of the procedure, just a slight tickling sensation that didn't stay in one place. There was also the bright light he had noticed before when Jim checked him out the first time. From the bright light came one even brighter flash, like lightning, then it was over.

"You are possessed," Jim told him. "I'm not sure it can be removed, but it's knocked out. It's harmless now. It's like a dark element coupled with a life force, but not yours. It's like you caught a bug, perhaps when you were stabbed."

"It is possible that something was transferred from one of the demonic swords that pinned me to the gravestone, especially if it was still sentient." Vergil shrugged. "It is unimportant. I cannot stay."

"Why not? I told you, it's knocked out. It can't do anything anymore. You'll do just fine. Besides, you promised to help us. Man of honour, remember?"

Vergil shook his head. The boy was unbelievable.

"As you wish, I will stay. But-"

"Woohoo! Let's go tell the others."

"Jim, listen. If the same thing happens again, I will go and not come back. Is that understood?"

"It won't," Jim said dismissively. "Let's go. They will be so excited."

Vergil followed the boy who ran to the training ground.

"He's back!" the boy shouted. "He's back and his name is Vergil and he'll teach us."

While the rest was cheering in joy Carrie asked, "Why did he run away?"

"He was kinda upset about Tyler. He figured we wouldn't want him anymore. But it won't happen again, I swear."

"Okay, tell your friend … What did you call him? Vergil? … Tell Vergil he can teach us. We will obey him.

It was the start of a new life for Vergil, one he had never thought possible, had never even considered. He had become part of a family again.

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note :  
**

 **revolverwild: thank you for the review. I'm not sure what Jim is. Probably a psychic medium, no doubt special, but definitely not demonic.**


	10. Chapter 10

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 10**

Vergil didn't waste any time. The following day he set up a training program, starting with fitness exercises to increase their strength and stamina. Of course Damian had to question the need of those.

"We are half-devils. If we need more strength and speed we just trigger. I don't see why we should run around the field and tire ourselves out."

"Do not doubt the necessity of anything I make you do. You should be able to win most fights in your human form. Triggering should be an emergency measure. And remember, these exercises will also increase the power of your devil-form. I mean to make you unconquerable. Start running, Damian."

Reluctantly the teen started running. After half a dozen tours of the field in front of the cabin, Vergil stopped them. Instead of going in for breakfast he made them jump on the spot, as high and fast as they could. Any of the children that were really tired, rather than trying to get out of the exhausting workout, were allowed to proceed to the cooling down part of the programme. Finally, when everyone had done as much as they could, they were allowed to go in for breakfast.

Jim didn't escape the programme just because Vergil needed his body to communicate directly to the group. In between giving orders he left the boy's body, and Jim was happy to exercise with the others. It made him feel more part of the group, even if he had to stop way ahead of the others.

Vergil was satisfied that all, including Damian, had done as much as they could. It was strange that not one had jumped exceptionally high. He would have to teach them to tap into their powers without triggering.

After breakfast came training in ranged weapons. Vergil explained the need of learning the use of them.

"Sometimes you may not get close enough to your opponent to use your sword. Some demons, especially those that don't look human, fight with poison, acid, fire, and more besides. They will attack you in various ways, but their methods have one thing in common. You will not be able to get near them and you will have to kill them from a distance. "

"I have my father's guns," Tyler said. "I absorbed them together with my sword and my father's sword. That's how I kept them while in the orphanage."

"That's what Damian and I did as well. Even Tessie hid her mother's swords and knives. Only Nicholas and of course Jim had no weapons on them," Carrie explained.

"You did well. Your parents' weapons are your legacy."

"That's what Mom always said, when she told us stories about Sparda and her friends. That's why I took them for Cody and me; because of Mom."

"We were all told from the moment we could understand: when something happens, before you cry, before you can grief, secure the weapons. Father would make me repeat it every day, and Mother would complain, 'Nice that, Azza. Talking about our deaths before breakfast.'"

"I don't know any more what my father looked like," Nicholas said quietly.

A sudden gloom had settled over the group as they remembered the parents they had lost. Vergil felt Jim's sadness, and recognised it as the paralysing feeling that the loss of Dante and Eva had caused him when he was the boy's age. Recognised it, but didn't feel it. He didn't even remember what loss felt like, only that because of those feelings the demons had been able to pin him to the gravestone. The memory of those emotions had been wiped away the moment his devil had been activated. That's why he didn't know what to do; how to stop the sadness from overwhelming them.

Tyler did. The boy who was cool and composed, but who understood completely what his friends went through knew what to do. Take them out of their sad memories with the question they had wanted to ask since Vergil had told them about the importance of being able to kill an enemy from a distance.

"What was your ranged weapon of choice, Vergil?" Tyler asked. "I believe you're not a fan of firearms. I got that impression when you said Jim could use guns."

One by one the children came out of their sad musings, wanting to hear the answer to Tyler's question.

"I despise firearms. No true warrior should use them," Vergil answered. "I had summoned swords."

"Summoned swords? What? You called them or something?" Damian asked.

"Or something."

"Can you show us?"

"I am using a human body. It may not work."

"We could try," Jim said, giving Vergil that strange feeling again of being in control of a body, but not its mouth.

Without another word Vergil tried to bring his summoned swords into being. What appeared were six blades, shorter than his usual swords, though longer than a dagger. He let them spin in a circle, then let one after the other fly at the target, hitting it six times.

"Can we do that as well?" Nicholas asked, breaking the awed silence.

"I do not know what any of you may or may not be able to do. Not every demon or devil can do this."

"How do we know if we can or not? Is there a trick to it? How did you find out?"

Vergil ignored the last question. His father had taught him, and he couldn't reveal his relationship to the great Sparda yet.

He just said, "Imagine a weapon, sword or dagger, see it become real, open your eyes. If it is there in front of you, you will eventually be able to summon several at an instant, but it will require practice."

They all wanted to try and summon some weapon or other, but Vergil didn't let them.

"This morning you have target practice. You can try the summoning this evening, after the last training."

They grumbled a bit but the cold look from Vergil's ice-blue eyes in their friend's body soon ended that. Vergil observed and corrected where necessary.

Tyler proved to be a crack shot with his father's guns, so at Vergil's insistence he practiced with some of the other weapons. Tessie had already shown she could throw fast with accuracy. With a little practice she would be as good as Tyler with his guns. Nicholas, Cody, and Jim were beginners. They would need time, but they were young and full of enthusiasm. Vergil was sure they would catch up with the rest.

Damian could have done better, but he was annoyed that he hadn't been allowed to try summoning swords.

"I don't know why I couldn't try," he mumbled to himself.

Vergil had heard the complaint and startled Damian when he answered, "Even if you can summon swords, you still have to reach your target."

He pushed five throwing knives in the teen's hand.

"Pretend these are brought into being by you. Try to get five in a row on target. Then six, then seven, then eight. When you have achieved that, you can practice summoning. I trust you will be honourable."

Carrie was a different problem. The girl was a good swordfighter, but only mediocre with the target practice. She was a reluctant fighter, except when she was defending the group and their home. No doubt she felt it was her duty, otherwise she probably wouldn't touch a weapon, any weapon.

Vergil approached the girl.

"Carrie, you either practice and fight wholeheartedly or not at all."

She looked down at the boy she loved like a little brother, but observing her were the cool eyes she had seen shining with murderous intent.

"I don't understand. I'm not a bad fighter, aren't I?"

"No. When you jumped in front of Tyler you were even very good. You should be like that all the time."

"Why? We're not in some kind of war."

"You are. You are a half-devil, and your mother was an ally of Sparda. Those are two reasons why the Demon World will wage war on you. Your options are to hide among humans until you are found out one day and killed, or to take the war to the demons. Your friends call themselves Sparda's Army and have chosen the second option. Decide what you want to do, and do it."

Vergil turned away from the girl. Then he left Jim's body and instructed the boy on the use of throwing knives and the weapon he dreamt of, shuriken. By the time Vergil had finished his explanation and Jim had started throwing his missiles at the targets, Carrie had resumed her practice session. When Vergil saw the determined look on her face, he knew she had decided to fight.

Just as Damian had finally managed to hit the target eight times in a row, Vergil announced the end of the training session. They had been busy all morning and it was time for lunch. Afterwards Vergil ordered them to help Jim with clearing the table and doing the dishes, so that they could all go out together.

Jim stood on his box washing the dishes while the others were either drying them or putting them back in the cupboard. He sent a telepathic message to Vergil.

"Thanks, Vergil. This is a lot better than doing it on my own. You're a useful friend to have."

"Flattering, I'm sure. You will still have to do the training, boy."

Jim smiled broadly. Vergil felt the boy's satisfaction and wondered if Jim had tried to wind him up. He shook his head. Meeting that boy was probably the best thing that could have happened to him. He felt at peace watching the seven children laughing and teasing each other.

Once the work was done they all went out carrying their swords. Vergil slipped into Jim's body and started with a sparring session against the three oldest teens. Damian was much more careful this time round. He concentrated on his opponent, and didn't add any flash twists or moves.

"You have learned quickly," Vergil said. "Continue like this and you will be a great warrior, worthy to be in Sparda's Army."

When he faced Carrie, he saw determination on her face. She would show him that she meant to be a useful part of the group. She was a good fighter, something he already knew, just a bit too inclined to defend rather than attack.

"You need to take control of the fight. Defence is good, but you run the risk that your opponent makes the fight his. _You_ have to dictate the rhythm of the fight, not the person you are fighting. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I think I do."

"Good, continue practising with Damian, and let him feel it whenever he tries some flash tricks."

Next in line was Tyler, who seemed a bit nervous, despite his best efforts to hide it. To help the youngster Vergil started off with some easily blocked cuts. Slowly he increased the pressure. Tyler had always enjoyed pushing himself to the limit. Soon he forgot his nervousness and matched Vergil perfectly. Their attacking and parrying remained in unison. Even when Vergil kept increasing the speed of his attacks, Tyler followed easily. The others had stopped practicing and watched the fight with interest, and in Carrie's case with more than a little apprehension.

Eventually the moment came when Tyler could no longer match Vergil's speed. With his next attack Vergil cut the teens arm. Tyler dropped his sword and Vergil stepped back immediately to show the fight had ended.

"As soon as that cut is healed, I want you to team up with Cody. He is inclined to use flash movements. Don't _tell_ him he is wrong, let him _feel_ it. Cody is a half-devil. Any small cut will heal easily, and he will learn sooner that way."

"Yes, of course," Tyler said. "You are right. I was too easy on them, on all of them."

While Tyler started to train with Cody, Vergil was facing the young boy's sister, Tessie. He soon discovered that the girl had a lot of patience, circling him, waiting for an opening to hit home. Just like he had done before, he feigned tiredness and lowered his sword. Tessie, seeing a possibility for attack, charged forward, only for Vergil to parry with ease. His follow-up strike didn't reach her though. She had managed to trick away from him.

Next she used subterfuge by seemingly going for a wild attack, only to trick behind him. She roared with disappointment when she found that Vergil had whirled round fast enough to block her sneak assault on his backside.

Following this Vergil decided to test her defence. Some attacks she parried, but mostly she tricked away from her opponent. She still tried to catch him unawares by tricking behind him, but his sword was always in the way of her strike.

"Have you got eyes in the back of your head? How do you know where I will be when I trick?" she asked Vergil.

"I know because I observe you. Most people give away their intentions in subtle ways, a look, a twitch, a slight movement towards the place they want to move to. You are actually very good, and with more speed you might even have hit me."

"That'll be the day," Tessie said obviously disappointed that none of her tricks had worked.

"Indeed. That day you will be a great warrior. Now, go and get Nicholas. I believe he went to do some more target practice."

Nicholas needed more training than any of the others. The three oldest teens had had regular training before they had lost their parents. Tessie and Cody had seen their mother practising her skill, and had played with plastic swords and darts with suction cups. Using real weapons had only been the next step. Nicholas hadn't even known his parents, hadn't known anything about his descent. The first time he had held a sword was after the group had left the orphanage. Despite this he had quickly acquired enough skill to help the rest when they had been attacked, but Vergil realised he needed more training to stand a chance against the more formidable demons that would doubtlessly come. True, his devil had not been awakened yet, but Vergil was sure that had more to do with luck than skilful fighting.

With Nicholas Vergil started with some low level training, correcting the boy's posture and the way he used his sword. Nicholas adjusted his stance immediately. Slowly Vergil increased the intensity of the drill. Every instruction he shouted at the boy was acted on instantly. Nicholas' father, Madar had been Sparda's second in command. Vergil was sure that meant Madar had been the best swordsman. The son clearly had the same aptitude as the father. Given time, and not even too much time, Nicholas would be as good as his father.

"You have made progress," Vergil said when he finished Nicholas' training session. "Go to Tyler and send Cody here."

Cody came quickly, running as usual. Vergil thought he was still more like a child than Nicholas and even Jim who was two years his junior. Whether this was because he still had his older sister to look out for him, or because he was naturally easy-going, unconcerned, and fearless, Vergil couldn't say. To Cody the whole world was a toy and he enjoyed playing with it.

"Hi, Jim," he said when he stopped in front of Vergil. "How is it to have someone inside of you?"

"Strange," Jim answered. "Like watching a movie, only being right in the middle of it."

"Like virtual reality?"

"Yeah, maybe, I don't know. I don't know what that feels like."

"Neither do I. Sounds good, though," Cody said.

"Yeah."

"Enough already," Vergil snarled taking complete control of Jim's body again. "Cody, get ready for your lesson. Jim, pay attention. It is your turn next."

ooOOoo

 **Author's Note :**

 **revolverwild:** thank you for the review.

Also thanks to **Unknown-Ark** and **aznkhoa** for following the story and adding it to their favourites list.

While you are in the Fairy Tale/Devil May Cry crossover section I'd like to point out my friend **Jimli** 's story ** 'Quiet Beauty, Roaring Beast'. **A wonderful combination of Beauty and the Beast and Devil May Cry. It's not hard to find. There are only four stories in this crossover fandom. Careful though, it's M-rated. This show is for adults only.


	11. Chapter 11

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 11**

Vergil saw from the spots of blood on Cody's clothes that Tyler had shown rather than told the boy what he did wrong. Cody admired Damian and liked to use as many of the older teens moves as he could. However, being slower he left himself open to attacks. Tyler and Carrie had tried to tell Cody how he should fight, but never before had the boy been made to feel his mistakes.

In Jim's body Vergil was the same height as Cody, but that was unimportant to the son of Sparda. Cody soon felt that his new sparring partner held back even less than Tyler had done. Every trick move or flashy twirl was punished with a cut. After the umpteenth jab in his backside, Cody stepped back.

"Jeez. Could you stop sticking your sword in me? I feel like a pincushion. First Tyler, now you. You've stabbed me about a zillion times."

"Twenty-six to be exact. Don't give me a target to hit. Don't show me your back. Don't give me an opening to stick my sword in. No demon will give you the chance to finish your movement. It will cut you, and kill you if it can."

"But Damian-"

"Damian learned the lesson," Vergil interrupted. "Do the same, and quick. I will not hold back for the rest of the lesson. Defend yourself, boy."

Cody received two more cuts, deeper than any, before he finally stopped imitating Damian. He defended carefully, studied his opponent, circling him, waiting for a chance, and avoiding attack by tricking. The style of fighting was so reminiscent of Tessie that Vergil presumed Cody had learnt it during play-fighting with his mother and sister.

Of course Cody couldn't remain so careful. He began to attack more without using the moves that had earned him so many nicks and cuts. When Vergil was satisfied with the boy's progress, he decided to end the training session. Cody was enjoying himself though. Cutting, parrying, not stopping for a second. Eventually Vergil ended the fight by disarming the boy with a quick move.

"Wow. Can you teach me that?"

"Not now. Go, tell Carrie I need her."

"Why?" Cody asked, but when he saw the cold look in the eyes that were not his friend's he just said, "Okay, okay, I'll go."

"Why _did_ you ask for Carrie, Vergil?" Jim wanted to know.

"Because I cannot teach you."

Just then Carrie arrived.

"You wanted to see me?"

"I need you to teach Jim. I will leave his body, and then it is up to you."

"Couldn't you possess someone else to teach him?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Don't ask questions. Will you teach Jim, or are you not up to it?"

"Of course I am, but-"

"Good."

Vergil left Jim's body. Carrie could actually see that the boy's eyes changed from cold, unemotional ice-blue to warm, happy sky-blue.

"I think you upset Vergil, Carrie."

"Upset him? I doubt that cold bastard can be upset," Carrie fumed.

"He can't talk to you, but he _can_ hear you, you know."

"So what? It won't harm him to hear the truth. Anyway, enough about him. I'm here to teach you, and as you've never had any lessons we have to start at the beginning."

Instantly Jim was ready for a fight, standing solid as a rock with his feet apart, the sword held out in front of him, arms still close to his body. He looked totally at ease, waiting for Carrie's move.

"Good," she said, surprised that Jim had needed no instructions to take on the correct stance. "Now I'll teach you how to parry. When I bring down my sword thus, you-"

While Carrie had been speaking she had brought down her sword slowly, which was met by Jim's parry before she had been able tell him what to do.

"I thought you had never done this before."

"I haven't. It's just … I feel everything when Vergil uses my body, and I kinda remember what he does," Jim explained. "He sorta trains me as well."

"Tell the girl to test your ability," Vergil insisted. "She needs to know how much you have learned this way."

"He says you have to see how much I know already, Carrie. Are we going to have a proper fight then?"

"That depends on how good you are already. I'll start slow. Just try to parry my attacks, okay?"

"Can't I attack?"

"Don't try to run before you can walk. But if you feel comfortable, you can try."

Just like she had said Carrie started with slow cuts that Jim easily parried. Bit by bit she increased the speed of the slashes. For quite a while Jim kept up the rhythm, but eventually he had to admit defeat and he never got his attack in.

Vergil noticed that Jim wasn't satisfied with his performance.

"Jim, you have done well for a novice swordfighter. You will become as good as the others."

"You're only saying that because you want to be nice to me," Jim stated.

"I am not nice, Jim. I do _not_ say things without reason."

"Does that mean I'm good then?" Jim asked, looking happier already.

"It means you have potential, but you will still need a lot of training," Vergil clarified, but on seeing the disappointment returning to the boy's eyes he added, "You all need more training."

Vergil didn't let them stop just because he had tested everyone. They had to continue sparring until it was time for the evening meal. Afterwards he finally allowed them some free time.

"Can we try summoning swords now? " Damian asked."

"You can, but it may not work. If it does it will mean more practising," Vergil answered.

The six half-devils all tried, just as Vergil had explained. They closed their eyes and focused, imagined the swords, tried to make them real. When they opened their eyes again they didn't see anything, not a glimmer or a ripple, nothing to indicate that a sword might appear.

Carrie was the first to stop.

"This is futile," she said. "I don't see anything, I don't feel anything. I'm pretty sure I'll never be able to summon anything. If this is still a training session, I'd much rather do something more useful, like target practice."

"You can do what you like, Carrie," was Jim's translation of Vergil's nod.

Tyler and Tessie followed Carrie soon after though they had no intention to do more practicing of any kind. They sat on the steps to the veranda. Tyler took his father's guns apart to clean the inside, while Tessie was looking on.

Meanwhile Damian, Nicholas, and Cody were still trying to summon something. Even the shadow of a sword would have been welcomed. Vergil didn't stop them. He understood why the others had given up. They had been right in thinking they could do something better with their time. He understood that Cody wanted to continue because his hero, Damian, continued. Hopefully there would be someone handy to comfort the boy when he realised he could not do what Damian would doubtlessly manage one day, judging by the shadowy outline of a sword that had appeared for a split second.

When Vergil noticed that the two younger teens were getting tired, he ordered them to stop. His promise that they could continue the following evening made them comply more readily. Damian continued for two more hours before he too seemed to tire.

"Jim, tell Damian he has to stop," Vergil said.

"I think you'll have to tell him yourself, Vergil. He won't listen to me, even if I tell him _you_ want him to stop," the boy answered.

Vergil merged with Jim and ordered, "Damian, it is enough for today. Continue tomorrow."

The teen ignored him, so he said, "Will you honour your promise and obey?"

"Why can't I continue?" Damian asked, frustrated at his lack of success. "I'm nearly there. I know it, I can feel it. Why do I have to stop? Are you afraid that one day I'll be as good as you?"

"Foolish boy. You won't summon any swords today, and if you don't give your mind the rest it needs, you will never do it."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"You have the ability, but between having the ability and mastering the art lies a lot of work and patience. Producing the first sword is infinitely more difficult and taxing to the mind than summoning six swords once you have acquired the skill. Stop when you feel tired or you will destroy your gift."

"Do you mean I could have a burn-out from trying too much?"

"Unquestionably."

"Why didn't you say that in the first place? Of course I'll stop," Damian said. Then, suddenly realising what Vergil had said, he asked, "Do you really think I'll be able to summon swords?"

"Yes. If you do as you are told," Vergil answered.

Damian smiled and Vergil realised it was the first time that the teen didn't look angry, wasn't sulking or moping, or didn't grumble about something he'd said. It might be just a one off, but considering the youngster had also given up on his flash moves, Vergil concluded that Damian was growing up. No longer a child but a young man, ready to accept the consequences of his actions and realising that he didn't have the answer to everything. Definitely more mature than he, Vergil, had been at a similar age.

Vergil left Jim's body again. The boy's telepathic question surprised him.

"Vergil? Can I ask you something? Why didn't you want to possess Carrie's body?"

"It wouldn't work," Vergil answered.

"I don't see why not, but … well … you felt … scared," Jim said.

Vergil knew the boy was right. He hadn't heard the voice suggesting to him he should do it, and how great it would be to possess the young girl, but he had feared it would seduce him once he had entered the body. Jim was different. The boy was very much aware of Vergil's presence in his body and could probably stop him from taking it, but Vergil doubted the others could do the same.

Before he realised he was doing it, Vergil was telling Jim, "You are right. I was afraid. I was afraid I would not give up her body anymore. I was afraid I might become the lowest of the low, a demonic possession. I don't want to take the risk."

"But you're not afraid to take the risk with me."

"No. You told me you would kick me out."

"Yeah, I did." Jim looked up at Vergil and smiled. "You're a great guy, you know Vergil. I like you very much."

"You too, Jim," Vergil answered.

ooOOoo

That was the first day of what Damian ended up calling 'Vergil's dictatorship'. Every day started with intensive physical training before breakfast. Before lunchtime they had target practice and the afternoon was dedicated to fighting with their swords. The only free time they had was after their evening meal.

Despite calling Vergil a dictator, Damian continued his attempt at summoning swords every evening. It took him a week to produce the first sword. It flickered and shimmered in red, orange and yellow as if it was made of fire. It took a few more attempts before Damian produced a second one. He intended to fling it at a nearby post, but it mist the target by quite a margin, and landed in the grass where it went up in smoke.

By the middle of the following week to his great joy Damian could summon several swords, though he still didn't succeed in doing this every time.

"A good result, but do not be overconfident," Vergil said. "Do not use them in a fight until you are proficient. Keep practising and you will attain your goal."

"Jeez, you know how to cheer a person on. I was happy until you opened your mouth."

"I am your teacher, not your cheerleader. It is safer for you to throw real knives until you can summon those swords every time you want to. Then you can learn to throw them with 100 % accuracy."

"How can I do that if I can only practice a bit in the evening?" Damian asked, annoyed that Vergil really was right. "Why can't I use my summoned swords in target practice?"

"Because you will look foolish if you fail to produce the swords to practice with. Do as you are told, boy."

Vergil turned away to look at Nicholas. The young teen had produced flashes of light and ripples in the air, but no sword as yet. Just then the boy produced another flickering light, but this time Vergil had seen something.

"Nicholas, I want you to imagine a dagger instead of a sword."

"Okay," Nicholas said, without questioning the order.

Moments later he managed to summon a bright silvery-blue dagger. It looked carved out of ice and deadly sharp. Nicholas produced two more such daggers. The other youngsters came to look at the three shining objects hovering in the air.

"Just like your father, Nicholas. Issa told me that Madar had daggers of light," Carrie said.

"Throw them at the post. Try to hit it," Vergil ordered.

Again it proved that summoning swords and daggers did not equal using them, and the latter was by no means the easy part. Two went wide off the mark and the third one just fell down and disappeared in the ground. It would take a lot of practice but now Nicholas knew it could be done.

Cody had become more and more downcast every time Damian had made swords appear and he had failed. Now that Nicholas could produce daggers he felt even worse. Tessie, seeing her brother so sad, put her arm around his shoulder.

"What's up, little brother? Is it because of Damian's swords and Nicholas' daggers?"

"Yes. I want to summon swords as well," Cody moped still seeing Damian as his role model.

"It's a rare talent, Cody. Carrie told me there were few in Sparda's Army who had it. Sparda could, and Madar, but Mom couldn't, and neither could any of the others. You've tried your best to be like Damian, so perhaps now it is time to become the best Cody you can be."

"I wanted to have swords, Tessie. They are special," the boy sulked.

"Is being a half-devil and part of Sparda's Army not special enough, Cody?" his sister asked.

The boy just shrugged his sister's arm off his shoulder and walked away. For a moment Tessie hesitated, then she followed her brother, running to catch up with him.

"Cody, wait! I've got something special for you." The boy didn't show any interest so she added, "It's from Mom."

That stopped Cody and Tessie caught up with him.

"You remember that I took Mom's swords, right?"

"Yeah, you carried them inside you."

"I have something else, something Mom wanted you to have. Perhaps it is time to give them to you," Tessie said, producing five daggers she had absorbed. On one side the blades were covered in a writing the children did not recognise. On the other side they had a snake motive that continued past the guard where it curled round and round the handle.

"These are Mom's knives. They are demon-forged knives. They can be what you want them to be. Combat knives for short range fighting, or throwing knives. They change to be what you need. And when you've thrown them, you can call them to come back to you."

Tessie gave the knives to her brother. One by one he took them and instantly absorbed them. The last one he took to the nearby area set out for target practice, where he threw it. The knife hit the target with a solid thud, embedding itself to the hilt. Cody called the weapon back to his hand. With a shudder it dislodged itself from the target and returned to nestle in the boy's hand, ready for another throw.

"Look Tessie, it came!" Cody cried out, his earlier disappointment totally forgotten.

Vergil, who had seen Cody change from happy youngster to sad boy, had followed the siblings to see if Tessie managed to comfort her brother. The boy now came running towards him, again with a happy smile on his face and as bouncy as Tigger.

"Look Jim, look what Tessie gave me! They are special."

Vergil recognised the demonic writing on the blades, but before he could say anything about it Jim took control of his mouth again.

"Wow, Cody, those are great."

"They are, aren't they? I'm going to show Nicholas. Man, these are even better than summoned swords. They are real." And off he went, running as fast as he could.

Vergil and Jim joined Tessie.

"You gave your brother a valuable gift, Tessie," Vergil said. "You could have kept those daggers for yourself."

"Not really. Mom always told me they were for Cody. I just had to give them at the right time. I hope I did though. Cody can be so silly sometimes."

"True, but he needed those daggers now. He needed something that made him special, like Damian. He can focus on his own talents now."

"You mean he can now work to become the best Cody he can be, instead of a second Damian?"

"Indeed."

"Good, that's just what I want him to do," Tessie said.

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note :**

 **revolverwild: I'm glad you still like the story, and I hope you'll continue reading it even if it turns out different to what you expected.**


	12. Chapter 12

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 12**

Over the next weeks training continued and all seven youngsters improved their skills day by day. Vergil was satisfied with their progress, but pushed them to become better and better. He knew the kind of devils and demons that might come to destroy the young half-devils. He felt he had to teach them as much as he could, as quickly as he could to give them half a chance against their enemies.

There hadn't been any attacks for quite a while but Vergil knew they couldn't relax. Of course it was difficult to remain focused and vigilant for such a long time when nothing happened. Add to that the approach of summer and all the flowers growing everywhere around the house, and the idea of demons coming to kill them seemed just ludicrous, especially on a warm day that felt like a holiday.

Vergil was training Tessie. Tyler, conscientious as always, was busy with some shadow fighting, while the rest was hanging around rather than doing some sparring of their own.. They just wanted to relax in the sunshine. All of them had had a session with Vergil, and none had escaped without a few cuts.

Tessie was not as focused as normal, and Vergil noticed it.

"Tessie, pay attention to what you are doing. You gave me enough space to cut you in half," he admonished the girl.

"Can't we have a day off? It's so hot and we're working like idiots. I'd rather stop and sit with the rest," Tessie answered.

"You cannot afford to take a day off. Not until I think you are ready."

"When will I be ready?"

"Never, unless you are willing to put the effort in. And that goes for all of you," he said to the group. "At the moment you are not Sparda's Army. You are barely Sparda's Cadets. Get up and start training."

Slowly, with a lot of grumbling Damian, Carrie, Nicholas, and Cody got up and picked up their swords. Cody needed a bit longer to find his weapon that he had thrown down in the long grass. As he took it he looked towards the forest on the other side of the clearing. He thought he had seen something move. Moments later he knew he had been right.

"Guys, I think there's something out there," he said.

Instantly they were ready to take on whatever was coming for them. The lazy holiday feeling had disappeared.

"Yep, you're right Cody. We've got uninvited guests," Damian said. "We'll have to show them the exit."

"Jim! Inside!" Carrie ordered as the six young half-devils started walking across the clearing.

Jim, used to obeying such a command immediately, ran towards the house. Vergil, who had completely lost control over Jim's body, was dragged along.

On the veranda Vergil finally managed to get his own command through just as the boy opened the door.

"Jim, stop. I need to see what threat they are facing."

Jim stopped and Vergil left the boy's body. He looked out towards the field where the six half-devils were walking swords ready. He could feel the demons that were hiding in the long grass near the edge of the forest. He needed to know what they were. Then, realising they had been spotted, the first demons rose up out of the grass.

"Edimmu," Vergil mumbled reassured that the children were already good enough to take on these minor demons.

"Edimmu? Is that the name of one of those skeletons?" Jim asked. "How do you know which one is Edimmu? They all look the same to me."

"They are all Edimmu. That is the species."

"I see. It's like cows and pigs and horses."

Vergil didn't answer. He felt there were more demons still hiding. Then among the skeletal Edimmu in their ragged robes more demons rose up from the grass. Half of them were females with tusks like wild boars; the other half were very human looking red demons with red skin, red hair and beard, and red tunics.

"Danglathas and Yush. That means there is a boss as well," Vergil said to himself.

To prove him right a final demon stood up. Vergil recognised the huge devil with the red and golden scales and the double-horned reptilian head. Adramelech, the King of Fire. How often had he been stabbed with the demon commander's flaming sword? Not in a fight of course. At the time he'd been hanging in chains, and Mundus' minions had tortured him non-stop. Adramelech had only been one of many. Vergil wasn't surprised that the demon had not gone down with his master. That slippery reptile could slither out of the tightest spots.

The six youngsters had stopped, looking at the demons that were advancing towards them. For the first time Vergil realised how young they still were to take on the force that the Demon Realm had sent to destroy them. He doubted that his pupils could hold out against the fiends. These were stronger than the previous attackers, a lot stronger. But perhaps not smarter, otherwise they would have bunched up and attacked the small group. Of course Danglathas and Yush generally couldn't stand the sight of each other and both species looked down on the Edimmu. A small advantage but probably not enough.

"Jim, if we do not help them, they will lose. Are you willing to take the risk?"

"Okay, Vergil, take my body. Let's give them hell."

"I will," Vergil answered as he merged with the boy's body again.

Sword in hand he walked down from the veranda, just as the attack began. Straight away Nicholas was stabbed through the chest. While his devil was awakening the red Yush looked down smirking at the child's body, ready to give the fatal blow. Vergil tricked, landed near the demon, and sliced it in half. Sure that he had killed the Yush, he turned away from it, standing guard over the boy who was triggering for the first time. He saw Carrie fighting another Yush. She stood her ground and Vergil was sure she would eventually kill it. Damian had triggered and was taking on two Danglathas. The sparks that came from the eyes of the female demons didn't hinder the devil-triggered teen. Damian didn't try any flash moves which pleased Vergil. The youngster had definitely learned a lot since he had started training the group.

On the other side of the field Tessie was facing the hulking form of Adramelech. Instead of trying to fight the creature that towered above her she dived under its flaming sword and through its legs.

She started running and carried on by her speed she rotated and slashed through two Edimmu that were ganging up on her brother. The two siblings then stood back to back as more of the same demons went for them. The skeletal creatures tried to cut the flesh off the children with a kind of grappling hook at the end of the chains they held in their thin, long claws. Cody alternated between blocking the hooks with his sword and hitting the demons with his returning knives. The demonic runes of the binding and returning spells on the blades bathed the boy's face in an eerie green light. In Tessie's hand a second sword had materialised. She used one sword to block the chain while cutting the hand of the demon with the other.

Adramelech meanwhile stood face to face with Tyler who had jumped in before the demon boss had been able to follow Tessie. As always the boy was cool and methodical, but he was facing a dangerous foe. Then a smile flitted across his face. He used the tactics Vergil had used on him the first time, and feigned tiredness. As expected the demon tried to take advantage of this but instead was met with an attack that gashed its arm. It roared in anger. A matching roar came from the silver devil Tyler had turned into. He struck at the hulking demon time and time again, controlling the fight, dictating the speed of it. It was a blistering attack that the demon could barely follow. Even with his flaming sword he broke through the silver devil's defence only twice. Tyler's injuries were only minor. He increased his speed further, and injured the left arm and leg of the demon. It staggered backwards and in that moment Tyler cut off the hand with the blazing sword. He caught the hand and before the sword fell down he had pushed it through the demons body. Adramelech burst in flames and seconds later the sword fell down among the ashes of its owner.

Vergil hadn't just been observing the battle. As soon as Nicholas had triggered he pulled the new devil to his feet, just in time to face three formidable Yush demons that came rushing towards them. Nicholas was, except for Jim, the weakest fighter of the group. His newly activated devil gave him the extra strength and speed that he normally lacked. With newfound confidence he took on one of the demons while Vergil in Jim's body faced the other two. They laughed at the sight of the small human, but not for long. As promised Vergil gave them hell, turning so fast that he had sliced them through twice before they realised it. They fell to pieces while Vergil was already running towards another group of Danglathas and Edimmu.

He ran past Damian who just finished off the second of the female demons he'd been fighting. The teen grinned at Vergil.

"I thought I was the flash bastard, but I'm nothing compared to you," he said.

"Keep practicing and you will achieve it, boy," Vergil answered.

Together they met the group of demons head-on, blocking attacks but hitting home more often. One by one the fiends fell to their swords. Damian decapitated the last Edimmu and Vergil took stock of what was happening around him.

After killing Adramelech Tyler had been charged from opposite sides by a Danglathas and a Yush. Carrie had rushed to his aid blocking the attack of the female demon while Tyler was crossing swords with the red male. Vergil saw that Carrie and Tyler, like Damian were dealing the last blows to the demons they were facing.

Tessie and Cody were joined by Nicholas who high-fived his friend for disposing of the group that had surrounded them. The three youngest half-devils were near the edge of the forest, away from the others. Suddenly out from among the trees came two dozen devils.

"Werewolves," Cody shouted.

But these Demonolupi were not werewolves. They had no human form; they did not become wolves because of the full moon. These wolves walked on human legs and had human hands. They had learned to fight with swords, but would tear their victim to pieces with their sharp teeth, even if this victim was still alive. Vergil realised that the children were in danger. Without thinking that he was actually in the body of an even younger child he rushed towards them. Only one thought filled his mind. Defend them. Protect the innocent.

The three older teens having dealt with their opponents followed Vergil as fast as they could. Soon they formed a circle around the youngsters, though not for long. Tessie wanted to be involved in the fight, and Cody did everything his sister did. Of course Nicholas couldn't stay behind then.

Together the six young half-devils and Vergil in Jim's body took on the demons. Vergil found he was standing next to Nicholas and Cody. Despite all the fighting that had gone before, they were still brimming with energy, working together, grinning at each other when the devil they had been attacking retreated to catch its breath.

When three demons took the place of the one, Vergil was ready to enter the fray. With a speed and accuracy he had thought impossible in the borrowed body of Jim, he hacked and slashed at the demons. Twirling faster than a whirling dervish he decapitated two of them, and sliced at another one that had intended to attack Tessie. She had been forced to drop her weapon when she had received a cut across her arm and hand. The time she gained by Vergil's attack on the demon allowed her to trigger, and with her spade-ended tail she hit the arm of the demon that dropped its weapon. With the creature's own sword the girl finished Vergil's job.

They were controlling the fight when one of the demons picked up the sword of a fallen comrade and threw it towards Carrie. As if it was a heat-seeking missile the weapon dodged two devils and stabbed the girl through the back. She staggered looking down at the sword poking out of her body. The demon she'd been fighting thought to take advantage of her confusion but Damian had seen what had happened.

He shouted, "Carrie!" and rushed to the girl's aid.

The demon had no chance to finish its friend's job. Damian was upon it in a flash and destroyed it utterly. The sword thrower perished under Vergil's attack. By now nearly half the attackers had been killed. The rest didn't stand a chance, especially when Carrie triggered. In her devil form she had a lust for the battle she normally never showed. Two of the remaining demons ran for the woods, but Vergil tricked and blocked their path. The smirk when they saw the small figure that was trying to stop them changed to fear when Vergil attacked. Soon nothing was left but two piles of dust. Even their weapons had been cut to pieces.

The black-haired leader of the wolf-demons fell to the combined attack of Tessie, Codie, and Nicholas. Damian and Tyler dispatched their opponents simultaneously, and with a shout of victory Carrie killed the last of the Demonolupi. Vergil left Jim's body and looked as the boy ran to join his friends in their celebration. They had a right to be proud. They had done something that should have been impossible. They had stood together, fought together, defended each other where necessary, found strength in the friendship that joined them together and made them a family.

Looking at the youngsters, Vergil finally understood. Might was not everything. Might was nothing, could never be enough without a soul and feelings to sustain it. Sparda's soul and Dante's soul increased their power, made it more than mere strength. That had allowed his little brother to beat him in Temen-ni-gru and later when he was Nelo Angelo. That's why Dante had beaten Mundus while he, Vergil, had failed.

Yes, Sparda had died and Eva too, but Sparda's strength lived on in Dante, as did Eva's love for her children. They had not failed; he had failed them. By denying his soul and his humanity he had betrayed his parents' memory. Dante was Sparda's heir, Eva's son. He, Vergil, the firstborn, should have been, but he had despised what had made his parents great, and so had become a mere demon; he _was_ Nelo Angelo. The difference had been merely cosmetic, a different body with the same soulless being inside.

If he had had a body he would have cried for what he had … not lost but thrown away. Tears and regret were useless though, not because they were a show of feelings, but because they stopped him from acting. He was not dead, not really. As a spirit, ghost, entity, whatever he was, he could still act. He could still be Sparda's heir. Sparda's Army would rise again, and do what it had always done: defend the innocent, all of them.

Jim had turned towards Vergil and beckoned him to join the group. He was grinning as usual. Vergil moved towards the youngsters when he suddenly felt a searing pain in his head, worse than what he had felt on Mallet Island at the sight of Dante's amulet. The boy came running. A bright light preceded him and entered Vergil. The turmoil in his brain became worse. He sank away in darkness, blessed, silent, soothing darkness.

He never heard the boy cry out, "No! Don't go! No!"

Jim reached the spot where Vergil had been. The light was still there and disappeared back into the boy. The rest of the group who hadn't seen anything joined the boy who was crying.

Carrie put her arm around Jim.

"Jim, what's the matter? What happened?"

"He's gone, Carrie. Vergil is gone," he said while sobbing.

"He came back before, Jim."

"Not this time. The thing inside him attacked him."

"The thing inside him? What are you talking about?"

"There was something inside him – like a bug – that made him do bad things. We had knocked it out, but something woke it up again. It attacked Vergil. It is gone now, destroyed, and Vergil is gone as well. He won't come back, Carrie. He is dead for good."

Jim started crying again. Damian picked him up and carried him to the house, followed by the rest of the group. They didn't feel like partying anymore. One of their group was gone.

ooOOoo

 **Author's Note : Let me know what you think of the fight. I'm always nervous about writing those, and I prefer to avoid them. That was not possible in this story though. I hope I did okay. **

**revolverwild: I'm sure you've noticed that I put the answer to your question in the story. The demonic runes are spells. One spell** ** **makes the knives**** ** **return to the hand that threw them,**** **and the other spell** **binds the knives to Ixihra and her bloodline (Codie and Tessie and any future descendants they may have) so only they can use them.**

 **Jimli: No need to thank me. Vergil is perfect as The Beast. :) As for the meeting between the two brothers ... wait and see.**


	13. Chapter 13

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 13**

Vergil woke up because of an unexpected sensation. Wetness on his face. How did his face get wet? More importantly how was it possible he had felt something on his face? And not just on his face. He felt something along the whole length of his body. He was lying down. When he sensed something against the side of his arms Vergil realised he was lying down in some sort of box.

He couldn't see a thing; there was darkness all around him. Mentally Vergil slapped his forehead. If he felt something on his face, and against his arms and back that meant he was in his body, and if he was in his body, he needed to open his eyes to see.

Ice blue eyes looked into dark brown ones. The person looking down at him started.

"You're awake. You're actually awake. You're not dead? I thought you were dead," a female voice said, trembling from recently shed tears.

Vergil tried to remember what had happened. There had been the fight. They had won, Sparda's Army had won. Jim had run towards his friends. He had seen them there, the victorious youngsters who had done far better than he had believed possible. He had realised what had been the source of their victory. Not might, but soul and friendship, the determination to help and protect each other.

The realisation had been followed by pain. It had filled his whole being; shooting, burning, stabbing. The sort of pain that could rend a body asunder, that could make a person mad. Then he recalled the streak of light rushing towards him from Jim's body. The light had merged with him, had soothed the pain. He had fallen into darkness to wake up … Vergil refused to ask the question everyone asked in such circumstances.

"Who are you?" he barked at the owner of the female voice. "Are you one of Mundus' guards?"

Stupid question. She smelled undeniably human, excessively female. She was … interested in him?

It was no surprise that she answered with the query, "Who is Mundus?"

He brushed the question aside. "Not important."

He sat up in the contraption he had been lying in, and saw it had the shape of a coffin. The beam of the female's flashlight created rainbow stars from the box Vergil was sitting in and from the lid that lay next to it. He got out of the casket and without a word he grabbed the torch the woman was holding, ignoring her affronted "Hey!" He shone the light all over both pieces of the coffin.

The sides of the box and the lid were covered in intricate patterns. Vergil knew them, knew these were not just decorations. They concealed writing, runes in the demonic language. This was not just any coffin; this was a Crystal Sarcophagus, covered in seals and spells. It had been designed to preserve his body and keep it locked inside forever, while his spirit, his soul – whatever it was that made him Vergil – had been incarcerated inside an artificial body. He should have been imprisoned for eternity, but the Nelo Angelo body had been destroyed, his mind had eventually been released from Mundus' darkness, and now the seals on the sarcophagus had been broken. How? He didn't know, he could only speculate.

Where had Mundus stored his body in the Crystal Sarcophagus? If this was the Demon Realm, why was there a human female with him? Alive as well. If this was hell then she should be terrified. There should be marks of wounds and maltreatment, but there were none. On the other hand, if this was the Human World then Mundus must have been extremely careless that a mere human had found him.

He wanted answers and asked her, "Who are you? And what is this place?"

"I'm Maria Ruiz Ortega. This is my cave."

Vergil looked closely at the girl with the dark eyes, black hair and tanned skin. He guessed she was about seventeen years old. He also had the distinct feeling she hadn't been entirely truthful.

The close scrutiny made her blush.

"Maria Ruiz Ortega is really my name, even if my stepfather adopted me. I'll never be Mary Jenkins."

"Miss Ruiz Ortega, tell me, if this is your cave, then what is this device?"

"It IS my cave. It's where I come to get away from things. The box was here when I found this place. You never complained when I came here. You were just lying there, like Snow-white in her glass coffin." She smiled dreamily. "I called you my Prince Charming and I imagined I would kiss you, and you would wake up. And then we would be together forever because I had saved you."

He hadn't interrupted the girl. He had wanted to know just how bad things were. And this couldn't be worse. He had become the object of a teenager's infatuation.

"How long have I been here?" he asked in a voice so cold it ended her dreamy musings abruptly.

"You were here when I first found this cave ten years ago. There was a lot of dust on the box. I had to clean it before I could see what was inside."

Ten years ago. There must have been a seal on the cave originally. Mundus would never have left his body to be found by accident. By a human at that. The seal must have been broken when Mundus had been defeated and killed. By Dante or by a competing demon lord? Had his little brother, who had always been the weaker one, done what he had failed to do?

It didn't matter who had destroyed Mundus. There were other things he needed to know.

"How did you get in here? This place would have been hidden, locked."

"I think it used to be. There was the other cave of course, the first one. I used to play house there when I was a kid. This one I found later. I was hiding from my stepfather and his younger brother, Cole who's about six years older than me. I had slapped the annoying jerk, and of course I had run away. The cry-baby had run to his brother and my stepfather didn't like it that I, a girl, had hit his baby brother. I was sitting in the first cave when I heard them coming. That's when I saw there was this gap at the back of the cave. I was afraid of the dark, but more afraid of them, so I wriggled through and came here. They looked into the first cave, and I heard them say that I wouldn't be there because it was too dark. Then they went away, and I've never been afraid of the dark again. Actually there isn't much that scares me these days."

Having to listen to her chatter was annoying. He tried to move her story along.

"Then you saw this box."

"Not immediately. It was pitch-dark here and I daren't use my light in case they saw it. When I was sure they were gone I switched my flashlight on to have a look, and I saw the box. As I said, it was very dusty. I had to bring something to clean it, but that was later, when I'd been back home. Mother stopped my stepfather from hitting me. I had to ask Cole to forgive me and promise I would never slap him again. I crossed my fingers and promised, but I was still grounded for a month. When I came back here I cleaned the box, and there you were, asleep. I wanted to kiss you awake, you know, like Prince Charming did to Snow-white, but I couldn't open the coffin. I've spent a lot of time here with you."

"How did you open it?"

He had to drag useful information out of this chattering girl.

"I didn't. When I arrived today, it was open. I haven't been here for a while, so I don't know when exactly it opened, or why. I pulled the lid off and kissed you, for old time's sake, and then you woke up."

Obviously this female had nothing to do with this second liberation. The seal on the cave must have been broken when Mundus' darkness that had held him prisoner had started to brighten. The girl didn't know when the crystal sarcophagus had opened. It was safe to guess that happened when the last remnants of Mundus' power had evaporated, when his mind had been able to return to his body every night to sleep. Now he was completely free. Joy filled his mind again. He shook his head. There was no time for that. It got in the way of clear thought.

Vergil stood up to go. For just a moment he felt a bit wobbly, then his powers returned to his body.

"Where's the exit to this place?" he asked the girl.

"This way, follow me."

She went to the far side of the cave and pointed towards a funnel shaped tunnel that ended in a narrow gap.

"Through there," she said entering the tunnel.

She started to wriggle through the gap but Vergil pulled her back. In the light of her torch he studied the opening and the surrounding rocks. As he suspected, the entry to this cave was actually bigger. It had been closed by a large boulder. He pushed against it, noticing that he still didn't have his usual strength. Finally he felt some movement and the boulder rolled out of the way, leaving an opening that he could get through more easily. The girl had looked on in disbelief when he pushed against the rock.

"Holy macaroni," she said. "You actually moved that rock!"

"Obviously."

He walked out of the cave and looked at the town beneath him, seeing it stretch out in the distance. The smile that curved his lips for a moment never reached his eyes. He knew exactly where he was. These were the caves above Montague Bay, the resort that was now part of Capulet City. His body had been dumped as close as possible to where he had raised Temen-ni-gru. It must have tickled Mundus' sense of humour to leave it here, so close to the place of Vergil's disastrous attempt to gain Sparda's power. Pity the Demon Emperor would never know how his joke had backfired, because now Vergil was exactly where he wanted to be. There in the distance was his brother's place, his amulet and Yamato.

Without a moment's hesitation he started to walk down the slope, away from the cave.

"Hey, wait! I'm coming with you!"

He turned towards the girl.

"Ridiculous. I don't have need of you. I'm not your Prince Charming. Go home, girl."

"No, I won't; I was going away, anyway. I was here to say goodbye to you. You seem to know where you're going to, a place somewhere, so I'm going with you."

"Foolishness. You are a child. Go home."

Vergil did not want this teen to follow him. He had taken on the responsibility for seven teenagers already. That was more than enough. He did not need another one, especially an irritating human like this one.

"I'm not a child, I'm a woman. Nobody can stop me from going wherever I want to go."

Maria saw he didn't believe her, but she was used to that. She pulled her driving licence from her pocket and held it out towards him.

"Check it out. I'm twenty-three, and no, that is not a fake licence."

For the first time since leaving the cave he looked at the girl more carefully. Here in full daylight she looked older than she had done in the cave. The licence seemed genuine as well. Still, that didn't change the fact that he wanted to be rid of her.

"I do not need a female, of any age."

"I'm still coming with you."

That stubborn wench. He would have to shock her into leaving. Still turned towards her he triggered.

"Holy macaroni! What in heaven's name are you?"

In a deep demonic rumble he answered, "That question should be, 'what in the name of hell are you'. I am a devil, not Prince Charming. I believe you will agree that you do not want to come with me after all."

He released his trigger, turned away from the girl, and started walking towards his destination, convinced she would not follow. To his surprise he heard the crunching of the stony path under her shoes as she ran to catch up with him.

"I'll be totally safe if I stay with you. Even my stepfather won't try to argue with you. Where are we going?"

He didn't answer but just continued walking towards the town. There would be a bus to Capulet City and to his brother's shop. He would have his amulet and Yamato, and Dante better not try to keep them from him.

When Vergil arrived at the bus station, Maria was still following him. To his annoyance he hadn't been able to shake her off. Of course he could have triggered and flown away, but he didn't want to draw too much attention to himself. A few people were staring at his coat and hair as it was.

Just as he was about to get on the nearest coach Maria said, "You do know that this coach is going back the way we came, and then on to the next town and further?"

Vergil stepped back.

"I see. Which one goes to the old business district?"

"None of these coaches. The city busses are on the other side of the station."

Vergil was sure there was a note of laughter to her voice. The female was mocking him? With large steps he strode towards the other side of the building. Behind him he heard a breathy giggle from the woman as she tried to keep up with him.

Five city busses were waiting. Vergil looked at Maria.

"Which one will take me where I want to be?"

"The number five."

She was still trying not to laugh out loud. He could hear it as he walked towards the bus.

"By the way, do you have money in that fancy suit of yours? A bus ride is still not free you know."

Vergil stopped, annoyed that the irritating female was right, infuriated that she would have money on her, and she would buy two tickets instead of giving him the money he needed for one fare. She caught up with him and only his ice-cold look stopped her from linking her arm in his. He couldn't believe that instead of cowering in fear, she giggled again.

When they arrived at the bus, Maria asked, "Where do you want to be exactly? There are three stops in the old business district."

"I don't know the street name," Vergil admitted reluctantly, angry that he needed help from this small human female. "It is near the old graveyard, about five minutes on foot."

"You want to go there? You realise that it's not the nicest part of the city, don't you?"

"And you think that is a problem?"

Maria heard the same growl in his voice as earlier, when he had turned into a devil.

"I suppose it isn't for you," she said. Then she smiled and added, "Nor is it for me if I stay with you."

She bought two tickets to the graveyard stop. Vergil got on before her, sat down, and made himself as wide as possible on the less than generous bus seat. Maria came and squeezed in the narrow gap that was left.

"There are other seats," Vergil growled.

"Oh, don't be such a sourpuss. Scoot. There's plenty of room."

She pushed against him and he had no option but to give her more room. He was surprised that he hadn't felt like murdering the pesky woman. In a previous life he would have killed her without a second thought. Had he gone soft? Vergil considered the question, but came to the conclusion that he hadn't. One thing had changed though: he was no longer a murderous psychopath with a short fuse.

The bus finally left. It made a long tour via the older part of the town, past the harbour where derelict offices and warehouses were being converted into expensive apartments, and on to the old business district. At just about every bus stop passengers wanted to get off or on or both, but eventually they reached their destination.

Vergil went back along the road they had come, closely followed by Maria. He turned into the first side street they came to and stood still. Maria caught up with him. She saw he stared intently at the shop at the end of the street.

"Devil May Cry," she read. "Is that where you want to be?"

"Yes," he answered, still looking at this brother's office.

"You look as if you're not too keen on going there."

He had to admit that he wasn't looking forward to what lay beyond those doors. He wanted his amulet and Yamato, but he feared it meant another fight with his brother. True, he used to be the better fighter; he used to beat his twin every time, right up to the moment he awakened his brother's devil. Since then Dante had beaten him twice. _Devil May Cry._ He shook his head as if to get rid of the hypnotic power of the words.

"Come," he said.

He didn't see the smile on Maria's face when he issued the invitation. She wondered if he even realised he had asked her to follow him.

Together they walked towards the building with the red neon sign.

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note : Yes, Vergil didn't have to fight for his body. He just fell into it. - I'm sure the seven orphans gave more than a little hint what fairy tale crossover this story is. No surprise then that Vergil played Snow-white.**

 **revolverwild: Thanks again for the review. You are right. The fight is all the youngsters and Vergil. Hardly anything is said about what the demons do. I'll have to remember that for the future.**


	14. Chapter 14

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 14**

A bell jingled as Vergil and Maria walked into the office. A man was sitting behind the desk. More precisely he was leaning back in his chair, his feet on the desk, a magazine covering his face.

A muffled voice said, "We are not open for business today. If you want the bathroom, it's in the back. Otherwise, just go and close the door behind you."

"Nice way to receive your clients, little brother."

The magazine went flying, the chair crashed to the ground. The man, who moments ago had been totally relaxed, made a backward somersault, landed on his feet, pulled a sword out of the wall and pointed it at Vergil.

"Holy macaroni! There's two of you! Does he do that thing … you know … change to scare girls off?"

"Dante does not need his devil-trigger to scare girls. His manners do that for him, as you can see."

Although Vergil's answer was directed at the girl, his eyes never left his brother's face.

"Who are you? Why are you here? I know you're not Vergil because she's human. My brother doesn't talk to humans. He despises them. Besides, I killed him. His body exploded into little pieces, and I knew I'd killed Vergil because his amulet fell at my feet."

"You did not kill me, Dante. You destroyed the shell that was my prison."

"Likely story. Have you got more of those?"

"I could tell you what Mundus did to make me his slave. How he turned me into Nelo Angelo. I wonder how long you would have held out."

"I was never stupid enough to jump into the Demon World, and Vergil had been seriously weakened which made it even more idiotic."

"That was indeed a teenager's foolishness, and I paid dearly for it. However, the past cannot be rewritten, and now I want my half of the Perfect Amulet and Yamato."

"Sorry, you can't have them. They are family pieces."

"Am I not family, little brother?"

"Not likely. I told you. I killed Vergil and he was my only brother."

"Do you remember our first day at school, and the fight we had? We told mother, and I said I hated humans. Do you remember what she asked?"

"Yes. Do you? "

"I do remember, little brother. She asked me if I despised her as well."

"And you said she was Sparda's mate, mother to Sparda's sons, not just any human. But mother was exactly that, just a human."

"She asked me not to despise the part of me that was hers."

"You did though, Vergil." After a short pause Dante added, "So you _are_ alive. You are Vergil. Doesn't mean I trust you. Why are you really here?"

"I have already told you, Dante. To collect what is rightfully mine: my part of the amulet and Yamato."

"You want your part of the amulet and Yamato? And then? My part to make the Perfect Amulet? Force Edge to turn it into the Sparda? What are you planning, Vergil? What is your aim? More power? Another attempt at taking over the Demon Realm? Or do you want to re-establish demon rule here in the Human World? Whatever you're planning, you will find me in your way."

Vergil sighed. "Dante, just give me what is mine, and I will leave you. Do not force me to take it."

"You're welcome to try, Vergil. Ever since you awakened my devil, I've been able to beat you. You sure you want a repeat of Temen-ni-gru? Or would you prefer a re-run of Mallet Island?"

"Foolishness, Dante. I do not want to hurt you."

Vergil realised this was the truth. The hatred he had felt for Dante after his return from the Demon World, the urge to destroy him that had been his most powerful feeling when he saw his brother at Temen-ni-gru; that had all gone. As children, before the destruction of their home and family, they had been as close as only twins can be. They had fought hard, caused each other countless injuries – they were after all two young devils – but when attacked they stood back to back defending the beloved brother. No, he didn't want to fight, but there didn't seem to be another way. Vergil decided to try one more time.

"I have brought no weapon. I only ask you what is mine by right. Father gave Yamato to me together with half of the Perfect Amulet, just as he gave you the other half and Rebellion. Give me what Sparda meant to be mine, Dante. I won't ask again."

"No weapon, huh? Am I to believe that would stop you attacking me? Forget it, Vergil. I'm not giving you anything that could help you create havoc in this world. It would only mean more work for me, when I have to clean up your mess yet again. I don't know how you can be alive, or what hellhole you crawled out of, but I don't believe in your 'I only want what's mine' routine. All you ever wanted was power."

"'All I ever wanted.' That is past tense, Dante. It is not what I want now."

"Just get out, Vergil. Get out of my place, get out of my life, and don't ever come back."

"I will comply as soon as I have what I want, little brother."

Dante swished Rebellion to the left and right, and stared down its length at Vergil.

In a calm, detached voice he said, "Come and get it then."

Vergil turned to Maria. "Leave! This could get ugly."

Maria saw the men glare at each other. Two identical faces were eying up the opponent, looking for a sign of weakness. Then Dante rushed at his brother, ready to plunge Rebellion into Vergil's gut. The blue twin tricked away from the charge, and pulled a sword out of the wall. The skull that had been pinned down by it fell down and rolled under the desk. Dante had turned and both brothers ran towards each other again. The blades locked, sparks flew as they tried to push the other sword away. They broke free from each other and Dante switched to Ebony and Ivory. Vergil wished he had Yamato to withstand this onslaught, but at least he managed to deflect the bullets that came at him from Dante's guns. They ricocheted around the room, the odd few even hitting the brothers, but they just ignored the injuries.

Vergil, facing the door now, saw Maria had not left as instructed. She was cowering in the corner near the window.

 _Foolish woman,_ Vergil thought.

Blue phantom swords circled towards Dante. He changed back to Rebellion and hacked them down, but a second lot was already moving towards him, while a third set was taking shape. Occupied with the swirling blades Dante had backed towards the door. He noticed too late that Vergil had triggered and was running towards him. As the last of the blue swords disappeared Vergil jumped. With both feet forward he kicked Dante in the stomach just as the latter triggered. A blue and a red devil crashed through the doors and landed in a pile of boxes on the opposite side of the street.

Maria had remained inside the shop. With her nose pressed against the window she looked at what was happening outside. Vergil, back in human form, stood up first. He offered his hand to his brother, who took it and was pulled to his feet.

"Ready to give me what I want, Dante?" Vergil asked.

He wasn't surprised at his brother's answer.

"What? And stop just as it's becoming interesting? Let's get this party going, Vergil."

For a while the two circled each other, then swords started clanging again. Occasionally gunshots could be heard, and the scene would be bathed in the earie blue light of the phantom swords. The half-devils didn't hold back. As the fight went on they broke through the other's defence more readily. There was so much blood outside splashed on the ground, splattered against the walls.

Maria couldn't believe the two men were still standing. She realised it had something to do with the devilish shape they took on occasionally. She was surprised that the shots hadn't brought the police down. Then again, this was that sort of area. If criminals wanted to settle their differences and a few of them died in the process that was okay for the Capulet City Police Department. They would pick up the corpses when things had quieted down, providing they hadn't been disposed of already.

Vergil started to realise that he had pulled the wrong sword from the wall. He had taken it because he had felt the eagerness of the weapon. Now he could imagine the kind of demon this Devil Arm had been. A Kelni, more of an imp than a demon, too eager, always ready to fight. He had seen them and despised the weaklings. Hard to believe they became Devil Arms, however useless, instead of disappearing in a puff of smoke. This one had erroneously thought he could defeat a son of Sparda, and had paid for it.

The intense fighting between the brothers had given Vergil's sword several nicks and dents. It was only a matter of time before Rebellion cut right through it. The older twin realised that only a pause in the fighting could help him, give him a chance to find a better weapon. They were half-devils, but that didn't make them immune to the effects of the relentless fighting and blood loss. Arkham had known this and had used it to his advantage. Soon they would have to take a break, and though it wouldn't take too long to regain full power again, Vergil hoped it would be long enough to find another sword.

Of course Dante knew that his brother had picked the wrong Devil Arm from the many that decorated his walls. He still remembered the runty demon, jumping up and down, so eager to fight the son of Sparda. Dante had eliminated it as if he were swatting a fly. He'd been surprised when he had found the Devil Arm with the fiery little demon still a part of it, still keen to do battle, but this particular Devil Arm was really only suitable as a tack. That's why Dante was fighting as much against the pain and tiredness as against his brother. Soon, not long now and Vergil's sword would shatter, giving Dante a sure victory. Again.

Both half-devils were now covered in blood. Vergil sent a barrage of phantom swords towards his brother in order to spare his sword. Though most were destroyed by Dante, one went through his sword arm. It was time to finish the battle. Dante smashed his sword down, sure he would destroy the Devil Arm his brother was wielding. Rebellion bit into Vergil's sword, but instead of breaking it, the claymore was stuck in the lesser Devil Arm. Vergil yanked his weapon away with all the force he could muster. Rebellion, still caught in the lesser sword, slipped out of Dante's bloody hand. It was a fluke, nothing more, but the claymore was released by Vergil's weapon, twirled in the air, and fell in Vergil's outstretched hand. Vergil recovered from his surprise a second or two earlier than Dante. Just as Dante was ready to fire Ebony and Ivory, Vergil pushed Rebellion in his brother's body in an eerie repetition of the cut that had awakened Dante's devil at Temen-ni-gru.

Vergil took the Perfect Amulet from the seemingly lifeless body of his brother. He carried both swords into the office and placed them on the desk. Then he separated the amulet into its two pieces and slipped his half over his head.

"You killed him. He's your brother and you killed him," Maria said with trembling voice

"No, I didn't. He'll be fine in a moment," Vergil answered.

"Fine? How can he be fine? You stuck a sword in him."

"Not for the first time. Now be quiet. I'm busy."

"You callous, heartless, murdering bastard!" Maria shrieked.

"Our parents _were_ officially married, but the rest is a pretty accurate description of Vergil," Dante drawled.

Maria turned towards the door and saw the man she'd seen stabbed through the chest standing there, covered in blood but apparently without a wound.

"Hello little brother," Vergil said, without turning away from the door he was studying. "I left your half of the Perfect Amulet and Rebellion on your desk. Now tell me what wards you have put on your armoury. This is the door to your armoury, isn't it?"

"It is, but what you want isn't there."

"Give me Yamato, Dante," Vergil growled.

"What's the matter, Vergil? Are you deaf? Old age problems already? Yamato isn't there."

Vergil closed the gap to his brother.

"Give. Me. Yamato."

"I. Haven't. Got. Yamato."

They stood face to face, glaring at each other. Suddenly both half-devils felt a hard punch against their upper arm.

"You two are worse than my little brothers, and they are nine and eight," Maria said, eyes blazing in anger. "Now act like brothers should and play nice."

Maria's unexpected action had broken the tension between the brothers. Dante looked down at the young girl who had obviously wanted to stop another fight.

"You promise to give me a spanking if I don't behave?" he asked sweetly.

Maria's answer was immediate and sharp. "Pervert!"

Vergil, annoyed at the small female who had dared to hit him told her, "This has nothing to do with you, woman. Do not interfere,"

"It's got everything to do with me. I brought you here. Without me you would be on your way out of the state."

Vergil couldn't believe the diminutive human. They had both Devil Triggered in full view of the woman, and she was telling them off, not the slightest smell of fear about her. Was she stupid or just naïve? If looks could kill she would have been pulverised.

Dante found her rather amusing and could barely contain his laughter when he saw his brother's dark look.

"I wasn't dreaming, was I? She hit both of us. Where did you pick her up, Vergil?"

"Where did he pick me up? I picked him up. I found him in a cave, lying in a glass coffin, just like Snow-white."

"Snow-white? Vergil? You're kidding me, right?" Dante started laughing out loud.

"Enough already," Vergil growled.

"And the seven dwarfs? Please tell me there were seven dwarfs," Dante asked interrupted by bouts of laughter.

Maria giggled. "I didn't see any dwarfs, but perhaps Snow-white did."

"Did you see seven dwarfs, Vergil?"

Vergil thought of the seven orphans he had left so suddenly at the cabin. He needed to get back to them before the next demon attack. He also wanted Yamato, the sword that made him better and more dangerous than any other. The idea occurred to him that indulging Dante's silliness and telling him what had happened might get him to Yamato quicker.

Dante noticed his brother's hesitation and crowed, "There were dwarfs. What were they? Little demons that cried over the big handsome man in the coffin? Demonochorus? Something like that?"

"No!" Vergil roared.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, taking control of his emotions again. Meeting his brother was never going to be straightforward.

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note :**

 **Mojhe1: thank you for following the story**

 **Persival: thank you for following the story and adding it to your list of favourites.  
**

 **I hope you'll both continue to enjoy it.**


	15. Chapter 15

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 15**

Vergil wondered why he let his brother's foolishness rile him so easily. Because it _was_ foolishness. Because Dante didn't take anything serious, and never had. He had liked this when they were children together. It had been fun then, but that had changed the day his devil was awakened. There was no time for silliness while he, a youngster, still a child, tried to stay alive in the Demon World. He sighed.

"No dwarfs, Dante. My body was stuck in a Crystal Sarcophagus, covered in demonic runes. It was preserved while my spirit had been transferred to the Nelo Angelo device that you destroyed."

"My pleasure, Vergil. Didn't know it was you, though. Not till I found the amulet."

"No pleasure for me, little brother. I became trapped in darkness for years. Then the darkness disappeared and I found I was a bodiless entity. I searched for my body and found all Mundus' strongholds destroyed. Your work I presume?"

"Yeah, with some help." Dante shrugged. "He'd told me he would be back. Then he started to pop up like a jack-in-the-box. I got fed up putting him back in his box, so I got some friends together and destroyed him, box and all."

"And I was free, a disembodied spirit, until this morning when I woke up in a Crystal Sarcophagus, and I was myself again."

"And there was Princess Charming. What'd you do, babe? Kiss him awake? Waste of time you know. Vergil's a cold fish."

Maria blushed. It's what she had done after all, but she would never confess to that, and she was sure Vergil wouldn't say anything either.

"I just opened the lid of the coffin, nothing else."

"And no dwarfs. Such a pity. Vergil loves the dwarfs from Snow-white, especially when they sing. How does the song go again, Vergil?"

"Dante!" It was a warning, more a growl than a name.

Dante roared with laughter.

He explained to Maria, "Mum took us to the movies, special treat. She thought we might enjoy Snow-white. Vergil started fidgeting as soon as the princess appeared. Then he hissed at the hunter 'Kill her! Kill her'. The dwarfs hadn't sung their second 'Hiho' when Vergil got up and left. Half a row of kids and their parents were upset when he pushed through. Man that was fun. I kept singing it to him for months after."

"That was the worst memory of my life until the attack on our home when I was dragged into the Demon World. You have had your pleasure at my expense, Dante. Now give me Yamato."

Maria turned to Vergil. "What's this thing you're talking about, this Yamato?"

"Yamato is my katana, my sword, and I believe Dante has it."

"Why'd you think that, Vergil? You had it in Temen-ni-gru when you jumped."

"Yes, I had Yamato and my amulet when I jumped. And when Nelo Angelo was destroyed you found my half of the Perfect Amulet."

"Yeah, I found the amulet but not Yamato. You had a big zweihänder then. You dropped it, remember? It must have disappeared when the Nelo Angelo body exploded. Pity. It would have been some Devil Arm to have."

"Do you swear you haven't got Yamato? "

"Very sorry, bro, _I_ haven't got your katana. As I keep telling you."

Vergil growled in frustration.

"Shut up, Vergil," Maria said as she jabbed him in the side with her elbow. Then she turned to Dante, "Where is Yamato if you haven't got it? You do know where it is, don't you? I could tell from the way you said _you_ didn't have it."

Dante didn't lie, that was a fact, but Vergil knew too well that his brother could evade the truth. Just like Maria he fixed his gaze on the younger half-devil, waiting for him to answer 'Yes' or 'No'. Evasion was impossible.

"Yes, I know where it is," Dante finally admitted. "It's on Fortuna."

"On Fortuna?" Vergil thought he hadn't heard right. "Why is Yamato on Fortuna?"

"Some wacko order that worshipped father had it. They-"

"I know of them," Vergil interrupted. "They are harmless."

Dante snorted. "Not when I met them. Totally crazy. They'd gone way off the chart. They had actually turned people into demons, and created some artificial saviour. One of their mad scientists was obsessed with the broken pieces of Yamato."

"Broken pieces? Yamato is broken?" Vergil asked horrified.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Vergil – got that from a pretty English babe," Dante said with a wink at Maria. "Yamato is whole again. I gave it to the kid who fixed it and helped me with the insane Sparda worshippers."

"You gave Yamato to a stranger? Why? It belongs to a son of Sparda. It belongs to me," Vergil snarled.

"It belonged to you, and it got broken. How did that happen, Vergil, if it was so precious to you? The way I saw it, you were dead, the kid found Yamato, fixed it, used it, Yamato liked the kid, and he deserved to keep it. End of story."

"That is not the end of the story, Dante. I am going to Fortuna and I will get Yamato back, whatever it takes."

"I'll better tag along then," Dante suggested.

"Why? To help your young friend?"

Dante considered the question for a moment and answered, "Not sure _he'll_ need my help."

Vergil didn't answer. He left the shop, closely followed by Maria.

"Fortuna. I have to go to Fortuna," He muttered.

Maria grabbed his arm.

"Where are you going to, Vergil?" she asked.

"You interfering woman! Let go of me!" he growled.

"How can I when you're going the wrong way? Again."

Vergil sighed. Maria had helped him so far. Killing her would seem ungrateful after that, but he was sorely tempted.

"I am not going the wrong way. This road leads to the harbour where there are boats, and I will go with the boat to Fortuna," he explained as if to a little girl.

"When was the last time you were in Capulet City? There haven't been boats to Fortuna out of our harbour in years. We have to go back to the bus station, and take a bus to El Corazon, the only town that still has a ferry crossing to Fortuna Island."

Vergil's patience snapped. So she had been right in stopping him, but he was not going to make that journey by bus when he could get there faster. He triggered and flew up, only to come down again and land next to Maria who stood on the pavement, arms crossed.

"Just remembered you still need me to pay for the crossing?" she asked.

"Foolishness. I could easily fly all the way to Fortuna."

There was more than a hint of sarcasm to her voice when she said, "Of course. That would result in a totally unobtrusive arrival on the island."

"Quite," Vergil answered, amused at the young woman's reaction. "Now hold your tongue."

He gathered Maria up in his arms, and set off again. She looked up at the wings above her. Vergil only flapped them occasionally, using the currents to glide like an eagle while Capulet City passed beneath them. To Vergil's surprise Maria didn't seem scared at all to be flying in the air with a devil.

"Why are you not frightened?" he asked. "I could drop you and you would fall to your death."

"True, but for now I'm safely in your arms. I would probably be frightened if I started to fall. I don't think I could help myself, although I know the outcome already, so being afraid is somewhat pointless, isn't it?"

Vergil chuckled. "Woman, you are unbelievable. You really are too entertaining to kill."

"Thank you. That's a relief. Apart for my entertainment value, you need me to look after you. You're way too impatient for your own good."

"Do not push your luck, woman."

They left Capulet City behind them and followed the coastal road to El Corazon. On their way they would have to pass Miseria and Esperanza, a small town and larger city. Maria looked out at the road and houses beneath her, and at the landscape stretching out in the distance. It was an exhilarating experience. One she wouldn't have missed for the world.

Vergil was deep in thought. He was going back to Fortuna, the place where he had come out of the demon-world. The place where-

 _No, he would not think of that!_

Yamato, his katana. That was a safe subject. Vergil wondered how it ended up broken in Fortuna. He tried to recall what had happened to it. He had used it in his fight against Mundus. Despite his injuries he had kept Mundus at bay for a long time, but the Demon Emperor had called his generals, the best of his followers. Not Mundus, but his injuries, blood loss, and the amount of attackers had defeated him. The katana had still been whole. He vaguely remembered how it had been wrenched from his hand. His efforts to stop them had been futile; he had been beyond fighting, slowly drifting away into darkness. The end, he had thought. What followed had been relentless torture.

" _Destroy it, Nelo Angelo! Pledge your loyalty to me and break it."_

 _His hands held a sword; his knee was bent; he brought the sword down hard on his armoured leg; it broke. He had broken it. The pieces fell at his feet._

"No!"

It was a cry of despair. He stopped, hanging in mid-air, holding his head with both hands. _He couldn't have …_

"Vergil!"

Maria's scream ripped through his anguished thoughts. He had let go of her. Without hesitation Vergil went down, head first. He flapped his wings once to gain more speed. Then he folded them around his body to make as aerodynamic a shape as possible. He was catching up with Maria who had her arms and legs stretched out. She was holding on to the edges of her coat, creating a makeshift parachute that couldn't save her, but slowed her down enough for Vergil to reach her. When they were level he plucked her out of the air. A few wingbeats took them back up.

Maria wanted to ask Vergil what had happened, but the look on his face told her something wasn't right with him. They needed to take a break for his sake as much as for hers.

"Vergil, can we stop flying? I need a drink to steady my nerves, and there's a really good diner down below. We could land behind those trees so that nobody sees you change."

Vergil started to descend without answering or questioning Maria. He landed light as a feather, and put Maria on her feet before releasing his trigger. A short trek through the trees brought them to the main road. Five minutes later they arrived at the diner. They found a quiet booth at the back and ordered coffees. Neither spoke. Vergil stirred his coffee, round and round, staring in the mini-vortex he created. Black, a black abys, as black as his misery.

Maria observed Vergil. She thought he looked sick, and it wasn't because he looked pale. That was his normal colour, something she had noticed the first time she had seen him. Now though there was a greyish hue to his paleness.

The silence became bothersome to Maria. She wanted to know what had happened. Something had upset Vergil. That much was clear. But what had rattled him so much that he had let go of her.

In the end she just asked, "What's wrong with you, Vergil? You look absolutely awful."

"I was the one who broke Yamato," he answered without looking up, his voice devoid of life.

"No, you couldn't have," Maria cried out. "The way you talked about that sword it's clear it means the world to you."

"I remembered breaking it," he said in the same toneless voice.

"It must have been a nightmare."

"Foolishness. I was not sleeping. I was thinking about Yamato and the memory came unbidden. I was Nelo Angelo and I broke the sword as ordered. I proved myself unworthy of Yamato, Sparda's great gift to me, his firstborn."

"Wait! Sparda? Like the statue in the park?"

"Yes. Sparda, the Dark Knight, protector of the innocents. The devil who turned on his own, and raised his sons to follow in his footsteps. He gave them each a sword, Yamato to the oldest, Rebellion to the youngest; their legacy, a sacred trust. And I broke that trust," he ended.

"So, you are devils, are you, you and your twin brother?"

There was no answer from Vergil, but from behind Maria a voice said, "We're half-devils. Mom was human."

Dante sat down on the seat next to Maria.

"How'd you two get here so fast? The bus can't have gotten here yet."

"We flew, but I needed a stop," Maria said.

To change the subject she asked Dante, "What was it like to grow up with a devil father?"

"Sparda was strict, and he wanted us to become protectors of the Human World, just like him. Being half-devils we liked nothing better than fighting each other, and pop made sure we got good at it. We were kids when he disappeared. No idea why he went or where he went to, but it left Mom alone with two kids and all the demons in hell after us. They found us, killed Mom, dragged Vergil into the Demon Realm, and forgot about me. Anything else you'd like to know?"

"You say that as if I'm the nosiest person in the world."

"Sorry, babe. I thought you were."

"Well … yes, I am, but there's no need to rub it in like that."

Dante grinned. "Refreshingly honest. That deserves a reward, so I'll tell you the rest. I was found and taken to an orphanage with Rebellion. They couldn't prise it out of my hands. A foster mom was found and Rebellion and I moved to her home. Some years after the demons must have realised they'd miscounted; they were a son of Sparda short. After they destroyed the town we lived in I left with Rebellion, lived on the street, and became a devil-hunter."

"Hang on, if you were kids when the demons attacked, and they captured Vergil, how did he survive?" Maria turned to Vergil and asked again, "How did you survive, Vergil?"

There was no answer. Vergil was still stirring his now cold coffee, looking into its darkness that matched the darkness of his mind with just one thought going round and round. _I broke Yamato, I broke Yamato._

Dante saw the worry in Maria's eyes when she looked at his brother. It piqued his curiosity. They were such an unlikely couple.

"Why are you still with Vergil? I'm sure he made it clear that he didn't want you."

"He tried to scare me away with his devil, and I felt that would scare my stepfather and his brother even more. Vergil was safe to hang around with."

"Safe? That cold bastard wouldn't think twice about sticking a sword in you."

"Didn't you say your parents were married?" she asked innocently.

"Yeah, but apart from that-"

"-it's an accurate description of Vergil," Maria finished the sentence together with Dante.

"I don't think that's true though," she added. "If he were really like that, I would have been dead by now, several times over."

Dante shrugged. "I haven't seen Vergil all that much since Mom died. The first time we were about eighteen. He tried to kill me, I defeated him, and he jumped in the demon-realm. The second time we were late twenties. He tried to kill me, I defeated him, and his body exploded. This time round … well, we already had a fight, so I don't hold out hope that it will be any better," he said. "Anyway, I should go or I'll be late for that ferry to Fortuna."

"Fortuna."

Like a sleepwalker Vergil stood up and went straight to the door and out of the diner.

Maria, stuck in the booth between the wall and Dante, cried out, "Get out, get out. Let me out."

As soon as she could she ran after Vergil, but he had triggered and was already soaring high above the diner's parking lot.

Dante joined the young woman.

"Typical, he's off and leaves me with the bill."

"Oh, shut up. He's gone and I know he'll do something stupid," Maria said.

"He always does, babe. At least we know where he's going. Come with me if you think you can stop Vergil from being an ass."

Maria followed Dante, put on the helmet he gave her, and got on the motorbike behind him. She closed her eyes and held on for dear life, sure that they were breaking all sorts of speed limits. They were going as fast as the bike could go without falling to pieces. Maria thought about Vergil. Would he be on the ferry, or would he fly all the way to Fortuna?

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note : Two days late this week but next week's instalment will be published on Friday as usual.**

 **To revolverwild and Jimli: Thank you for the reviews.**


	16. Chapter 16

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 16**

Vergil flew up through the clouds. The dampness and coldness of the condensed water vapours cleared his thoughts, and he realised he had left Maria at the diner. This time he did not return for her, convinced that Dante would offer her a ride. If he didn't, Maria would no doubt make him. Whichever way it happened, he was sure he would see her at the ferry to Fortuna in El Corazon.

Fortuna where he would find Yamato, his beloved katana, broken by his own hands, and made whole again by somebody else's, or so Dante claimed. Pity Mundus had already been destroyed by his brother. He would have enjoyed being a part of that battle, taunting the Demon Emperor. Telling him, showing him that he might have vanquished Sparda, but Sparda's blood ran strong in his sons. At least Dante would doubtlessly have made a stinging comment, if not an elegant one.

Mundus had been the one who did the taunting, when he, Vergil, hung in chains, being tortured night and day.

ooOOoo

" _It is inevitable, son of Sparda," Mundus said. "You will be mine, my servant, my pawn, and I will use you to kill your brother. Then I might kill you, or keep you as my faithful slave, as I would have done with Sparda."_

" _Sparda was always too strong for you. One day he will be back and imprison you again."_

 _Mundus laughed, and his generals with him._

" _Sparda succumbed to my powers," he gloated. "He will never return, and you are a fatherless, weak half-breed, a mongrel and no more."_

" _Only by trickery and deceit could you have mastered Sparda," Vergil yelled. "He was always better than you. You could never have bested him in an honest fight."_

" _An honest fight? We are demons, not the Knights of the Round Table, following the rules of chivalry and valuing honour. Of course I used betrayal to get Sparda in my hands. I tortured him, like I do you now. I wanted him in chains, a slave to do the most menial jobs for me, no fight left in his sorry carcass."_

" _You wanted. Yes, of course you did, but Sparda was too strong for you, wasn't he?" Vergil sneered._

 _At the snarled command of Mundus his generals drove their swords deep into Vergil's body, and again, and again. Blood flowed from his mouth and from his wounds. It puddled below him at the bottom of the pillar he was manacled to. His head fell on his chest, but the healing powers of his body were already working their magic._

 _Mundus pulled his head up._

" _Sparda was not as strong as he thought. He had gone soft, having feelings, and for a human at that. She was his weakness, and what no torture had been able to do, her death did for me. Oh, he was defiant, just like you are now. Then we showed him the severed head of his mate, told him his spawn had been killed, and then we used the human's head as a ball, kicking it about, right in front of the traitor."_

 _Vergil spat at Mundus, splattering the demon's face with spittle and blood. It was a futile gesture, but it made him feel better. Of course he paid for it. The gauntleted fist of the Demon Lord punched him in the face with a jaw-breaking force. But this was Vergil, son of Sparda, and even two more blows did nothing more than bring a contemptuous smile to the handsome face._

" _You will cry out yet, just like Sparda," Mundus bellowed. "You should have heard him roar in anguish at his loss. He triggered, rattled his chains, tried to free himself, all in vain. And then the human loving weakling died on me. A demon dying of a broken heart, how ridiculous."_

ooOOoo

Mundus had lied about the death of Sparda of course. Jim's version had been the truth. That's why Dante had Rebellion and he had had Yamato. Sparda always took either one or both swords on his missions. If Mundus had told the truth he would have had the swords, but Sparda's sons had received them from their mother's hands, which meant Sparda had died on the battlefield, having killed the one who had betrayed him, and his last thought had been for his family.

Back then Vergil hadn't realised this. Clear thought had been a near impossibility, and Mundus could always make his lies sound like gospel truth. The idea that Sparda had died a snivelling wreck had made him even more determined not to give in. He had no idea how long the torture had lasted. It continued day and night, without relief. How long? Months certainly, perhaps even years. He had lost all sense of time in that place. What was left of his mind had been placed in the armour called Nelo Angelo, and his body had been preserved in the Crystal Sarcophagus. Preserved demon style. His spiritless body had not decayed, but it had aged.

The early days as Nelo Angelo were a blur to Vergil. He had become Mundus' creature. He had had no memory of his life as Vergil, had believed he'd been with Mundus all his life. When the Demon Lord had ordered him to break Yamato, the katana had meant nothing to him. Vergil wondered if at a later time Yamato might have triggered a reaction, like the sight of Dante's amulet had done. Perhaps that was the reason he'd been ordered to destroy the sword.

Yes, the destruction of Yamato had been a clever move of Mundus. Even without the beloved katana bits of Vergil had seeped into Nelo Angelo, things like his sense of honour, fair play, and respect for the opponent. His corruption had not been the complete success Mundus had hoped for. Sparda's values had been too deeply engrained in his children, in both his children.

 _Dante should know how Sparda died. He should know that Sparda did not abandon his family._

Vergil passed over the last houses of Esperanza. Soon he would reach El Corazon. He would land and release his devil trigger in a quiet corner, and make his way to the ferry terminal. There he would wait until Maria arrived. It was unfortunately true that he needed her to pay for him. Unless of course he flew across, but that was really not the best idea. He would be spotted while approaching the island and an unobtrusive arrival on Fortuna would be impossible, as Maria had reminded him.

She was bright, quick-witted. She had asked him how he had survived hell as a child. He had heard her question, but had chosen to ignore it. How had he survived? With a bit of luck and a lot of help.

ooOOoo

 _He'd been dragged into the demon-world, into a nightmarish graveyard with tumbledown tombstones. Demons surrounded him, coming ever closer, circling him, their prey. But he was not defenceless. He had Yamato. Gripping the sword tighter he waited, observing the enemy, trying to find a weakness. Some of the more daring ones came closer to what they perceived to be a pathetic human child. Yamato hissed as Vergil sliced through them._

 _More demons arrived, cutting off every avenue of escape. One bit him, tearing the flesh of his arm. He dropped Yamato, and one of the fiends thought this the ideal time to act. The demon's weapon pierced him and stuck him to a gravestone bearing his name. One of them picked up Yamato and stuck it through him into the gravestone at his back. The assault began in earnest, and in no time he looked like a gruesome pincushion. Blood was seeping out of his mouth, he was dying, but he didn't. His devil was awakened. He triggered._

 _What followed was easy. He pulled Yamato out of his body, and stood up with all the various weapons still sticking out of him. With Yamato and the weapons he pulled out of his body one after the other he attacked the demons surrounding him. All of them fell to his sword or to one of their own demon weapons that Vergil threw at them. He left them strewn about the graveyard and walked off._

 _The first weeks, months, even a couple of years after his devil had awakened he had spent fighting demons, killing demons, … eating demons. He had become a wild thing, a feral child but still a child. More and fiercer demons had been sent to find him and kill him. He ran, he hid, he ran some more. He tried not to think about it, but knew that someday soon he would face too many demons that were too strong for him._

 _He had spent the night in a cave high up in a mountainous area. The noise of the army that had been sent to find and kill him had woken him up. Even though he couldn't see them, he knew there were too many, so he ran the opposite way. Down the mountain, into the valley. Then he saw that he was trapped in a bowl, behind him the mountain now swarming with demons, ahead another mountain with a sheer cliff face. Vergil knew that they would catch him. Even if he flew up to the mountaintop ahead, they would follow him, catch up with him, toy with him, and kill him. He needed somewhere to hide, somewhere they would not find him. Even that seemed impossible because they would no doubt smell him._

 _He had nearly crossed the valley when he saw the opening in the cliff face. A canyon. He ran inside, following its winding course until he felt he could hardly go any further. Still he went on, running, head down, pushing himself beyond endurance. Suddenly he was out of the canyon and there in front of him was the most unexpected sight in the entire demon-world. A road led past a neat house with a garden surrounding it. A devil stood at the gate._

" _Son of Sparda, if you want to live, then come to me," he said._

 _Vergil hesitated. He could already hear the baying of those that hunted him, but could he trust this devil?_

" _Foolish boy! I don't mean to harm you."_

 _Something about the humanoid devil reminded Vergil of his father. Something in the way he looked and talked. Slowly, Yamato in hand he walked towards the figure. It offered him a purple fruit, like a small plum._

" _Chew this to a mash and spit it out. Quickly," the devil instructed him._

 _Vergil didn't perceive any threat, so he put the fruit in his mouth and chewed. It tasted bitter. He spat it out as fast as he could, and hoped it was mashed up enough. The mess on the ground became a blob that grew and grew until it was as high as Vergil. It sprouted two tentacles, it became a recognisable shape. The blob had become a purple boy holding a purple katana._

" _Go," the devil told the purple double of Vergil. "And you, go inside the house and keep out of sight," he instructed the original._

 _The two boys did as told. Once inside Vergil went up to the first floor and sat beneath the open window on the landing. He could hear the noise of the pursuing horde as they exited the canyon. There was a roar and the racket suddenly stopped._

" _Astaroth." There was contempt in the way the name was said. "Did you see a boy pass? We're having some fun hunting the mongrel spawn of the traitor Sparda."_

" _Use your eyes, Sabnack. Don't you see him running in the distance? You must fear this mongrel spawn if you need so many to hunt him."_

" _You should be hunting with us, instead of standing in front of this atrocity," Sabnack answered._

" _You know my arrangement with the emperor, Sabnack. I don't interfere with his business, and he leaves me alone."_

" _You're a useless being, Astaroth. I won't call you a demon or devil. You are neither."_

" _I'll take that as a compliment."_

" _Filth!" Sabnack snarled. "Come on, let's catch that filthy half-blood mongrel and feast on the blood of Sparda!"_

 _The shouting started again. Vergil could hear it getting quieter and quieter before it disappeared in the distance. The garden gate clanged shut, the stones of the path crunched, a door was opened and closed downstairs._

" _You can come out. They are gone," Astaroth called out._

 _Vergil got up and slowly walked downstairs. He wondered what would happen next, but the devil at the bottom of the staircase smiled at him._

" _Son of Sparda, you have a choice to make. You can either go and try to survive in the demon-world, or you can stay and I will treat you as a son, teaching you and training you until you have reached your full potential. The choice is yours. Know that you will be safe in this house. Outside? There are no others out there that would help a son of Sparda."_

 _Vergil had enough of running, being hungry, living in fear. However, before he made his final decision he needed to know one thing._

" _What will happen to the boy you sent to take my place? Will he be killed?"_

 _Astaroth laughed. "If he's lucky he'll be hacked to pieces, then the seeds you activated by chewing the fruit will germinate, root, and grow. If he's unlucky he'll be taken to the emperor. He will be asked questions, but since he can't speak he won't answer them. He will be tortured but since he can't feel pain the emperor's efforts will be in vain. After a week they will find him apparently dead and he will be thrown out as a meal from some lesser demons which will cause them severe discomfort. There is a very good chance that one of his seeds will find fertile soil, will germinate, root, and grow. Does that answer your question, son of Sparda?"_

" _It does, sir," Vergil answered. "It would have been dishonourable if I let him suffer in my place."_

" _The thought honours you. Sparda can be proud of his son. And? Have you made your choice?"_

" _I would like to stay, sir," he said._

 _And so started Vergil's life with Astaroth. He learned everything his mentor could teach him and more even from the devil's library. He trained with Yamato until the katana became like a living part of him. Then Astaroth taught him to fight with other weapons, even firearms, though Vergil said he despised them._

" _You may despise them, if you feel so strongly about that, but learn to use them. If one day it is the only weapon at your disposal, it would be foolish not to use it."_

" _I know how to use them," Vergil said. "Sparda taught us, but I find them crude, noisy, and dirty. Only suited to weaklings."_

 _Being Astaroth's foster son shaped Vergil, made him the person he was, cold and logic. The loss of his family meant he became devoid of feelings other than anger and hatred._

 _Astaroth guided him through his childhood and into his teens. Then the trouble started. Vergil had always thought his foster father was a moan, and as years went by he had less and less patience for the devil. Astaroth kept repeating how he had been a fool to have joined the angels' rebellion, and deeply regretted it. He felt that he should be pardoned as he hadn't played an active part in it._

 _Not a day would pass that Astaroth did not bemoan his fate. For six long years Vergil put up with it, but in the end he had enough of the constant complaints._

" _You are not worthy of salvation," Vergil interrupted Astaroth's usual moaning. "What did you do to deserve it? The only time you acted was when you saved me, for which you will have my eternal gratitude, but you did nothing else. Instead of fighting him, you made a deal with the Demon Emperor. Sparda fought the Emperor, became protector of the innocents while you just sat there whining and feeling sorry for yourself, safely ensconced in your house."_

 _After this outburst feelings between Astaroth and his foster son became frosty rather than just cool. Vergil realised the fallen angel had nothing left to teach him, whether it be knowledge or fighting skills. He started to search for a way out of the demon-world. He wandered further and further away from the safety of Astaroth's house. He had been searching for a year when he finally found an exit._

 _Out of a sense of duty and honour Vergil returned to Astaroth one more time._

" _Sir, I am going," he said. "It is time for me to leave."_

 _Astaroth's reply was cold._

" _Go if you must. I will not stop you."_

" _Thank you for your help and protection. I will not forget this," were Vergil's last words._

 _He returned to the exit he had found, gripped Yamato tightly as he did not know what lay beyond, walked through the gateway into Fortuna where-_

"No, not that!"

ooOOoo

 **Author's note : **

**Jimli: Yes, the adoption and destruction of the town is a reference to the anime episode with 'Anthony' on Morris Island. Despite his protestations that he isn't that Anthony, I'm sure he is.**

 **revolverwild: Thanks for raising the age question. It gave me the change to fix the oversight. There will be an explanation of the workings of the Crystal Sarcophagus in the next chapter.  
Maria didn't let me write her any other way. The twins have already commented on her strange attitude and will again.  
**


	17. Chapter 17

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 17**

His own anguished cry brought Vergil back from his memories to the present. He saw he had overshot his mark. He had passed the ferry terminal and was now above the container park, where row upon row of containers were waiting to be shipped to distant parts or taken to their final destination by land.

One advantage was the ease with which he could find a spot to land and release his devil trigger without being seen. The position he had chosen was only a few paces from the fence that bordered the area. His keen senses told him there were no humans in the vicinity. Jumping over the barrier and the prickly hedge beyond it was child's play for him.

Vergil landed on the footpath and started walking towards the centre of El Corazon. He looked like a relaxed holiday maker, out for a stroll. Perhaps a holiday maker with a strange dress sense, but ever since the old manor house had been turned into an artists' commune, the people of El Corazon had become used to seeing strange things. A man with white hair dressed in an elaborately decorated blue silk coat was fairly ordinary compared to some they had seen. And of course there were the people of Fortuna. Quite a few of them still wore their very outlandish traditional clothes.

The sign outside the ferry terminal said when the next and last crossing of the day would leave. It seemed Dante would be able to make it in time. Vergil went through the arch that formed the entry and crossed the terrace to the building beyond. He walked into a room that looked more like a cafeteria than a waiting room. On the left hand side was a large counter where food and drinks were served. On the right side were the counters where tickets for the crossing could be bought. At the back were two sets of double doors, one for people coming off the boat, the other for those who wanted to travel to Fortuna. Tables with four chairs each stood between the entry to the room and the double doors at the back. Vergil sat down, but the smell of food reminded him that he hadn't eaten anything since he woke up in his body that morning. He walked back onto the terrace where more tables and chairs stood under colourful parasols.

About twenty minutes later he heard the noise of a motorbike that seemed to be screaming for some TLC and rightly guessed it was Dante's. He saw a flash of the red coat as his brother went to park the bike. Minutes later Maria came through the arch followed by Dante. They saw Vergil immediately and joined him at the table. Dante sat down but Maria remained standing.

"I'll get the tickets first," she said. "I'm getting a coffee as well. I presume you two would like some as well."

"Yes, babe, and a pizza if they have any. You will get a ticket for me as well, won't you?"

"Coffee and something to eat would be appreciated," Vergil said.

"You two are the worst couple of freeloaders I've had the misfortune to meet," Maria said before she turned and walked into the building.

Ten minutes later she returned with three coffees.

"Where's the food, babe? I'm starving."

"Sorry, no food. I'm not paying good money for soggy sandwiches. The food counter is closing because this is the last ferry. It will arrive soon anyway. We'll be boarding in about thirty minutes."

"No food? It's a four hour journey! I'll have starved to death before we arrive."

"Slight exaggeration perchance, Dante? I see you are still prone to that. I would not have been averse to some food myself, but I saw the sandwiches earlier. I doubt they were fresh yesterday."

"My thoughts exactly, so I got vouchers for the on-board restaurant. It's all inclusive. There's a buffet with hot and cold starters, one for the main course, and one for the desserts. Drinks are served at the table, and you can have as much or as little as you want."

"Maria, you're an absolute gem, a real angel. Why did you have to run into _him_ first? He'll never appreciate you like I would."

Maria ignored the outburst. She didn't think Dante was serious anyway. There was one thing Dante really wanted to know though, something Vergil had wondered at as well.

The younger twin, less reserved, asked her, "Why are you still here? Why didn't you run away? You saw us fight, we both triggered, so you know we're not exactly average guys, but you're still here. What's more, you are not afraid."

"Being afraid is useless. It doesn't make things less scary or dangerous; it doesn't make the pain less when somebody hurts you. So why be afraid?"

"Fear might stop you doing something stupid."

"Intelligence does that, not fear."

"She talks like you, Vergil. Did you possess her when you were a ghost?"

Vergil scowled. "Such behaviour is odious and dishonourable, Dante."

"She was already crazy when you met her, then."

"Quite."

"You'll never get rid of her if your trigger didn't scare her."

"I knew it! I knew you used that to scare off girls!"

"Not me. That's more Vergil's thing," Dante said. "Now let me see. You found Snow-white in his coffin, kissed him awake – Don't deny it. The two of you had such nice pink cheeks when I first said it and now again."

"Drop it, little brother. You're skating on thin ice there."

"Okay, Vergil, as you wish. It's still a pity there were no dwarfs. There ought to have been dwarfs."

"Dante!" The name was barely discernible in Vergil's growl.

Dante ignored his brother, and turned to Maria.

"So, after waking up Vergil came straight to me, and you followed him, even after you'd seen his devil. Why? Wait, I remember. You said he could keep your stepdad and his brother off your back. Dirty old men bothering you, babe? I could sort them out for you, then you don't have to leave home."

"Don't be daft. I don't like Bob but he's not that sort of person. He wants me to marry his half-brother who's not an old man, just a jerk. I don't want the jerk. That's all."

"A persistent suitor's even easier to scare off."

"You know, I think the real reason I want to leave is Mum. Bob is actually a good husband to Mum, and they seem to be in love - still in love after twelve years of marriage and me. Bob and I though, we never got along. Now he wants me to marry his youngest brother, Cole and I like _him_ even less than Bob. When I argue with my stepdad Mum can't take sides because she loves us both. She is caught between Bob and me. Whichever side she chooses she always feels as if she lets someone down. I left her a note to explain why I'm going, but as long as I'm close to home, Bob and the jerk might try to stop me. When Vergil changed I was sure he would kill me. When he didn't I knew I would be safe with him. Neither Bob nor Cole would try to force me to come with them."

"That's a sure bet."

"Anyway, if I don't go Bob and I will always argue about something and Mum will always be caught in the middle. Besides, it's time I left home."

"I think it is time we leave here as well," Vergil interrupted. "Passengers for Fortuna are boarding now."

Without another word they got up and joined the queue for the Fortuna ferry.

ooOOoo

The on-board restaurant proved to be as good as it was reputed to be. Maria couldn't believe how much choice there was. Dante didn't need choice. He went straight for the pizza counter.

Except for, "This is lovely," "More than adequate," and "I'm gonna get another one of these," they had been quiet while eating. Maria and Vergil were enjoying a coffee when Dante came back to the table with his fourth strawberry sundae.

Vergil shook his head. "It's a good thing you've got devil blood, little brother. You would have exploded out of your skin by now if you'd been merely human."

"Why do you always call him 'little brother'?" Maria asked. "He doesn't look younger than you. Or are you really a lot older, but you look the same because you've been in that box?"

"Vergil _is_ older, all of ten minutes, and, boy, does he let me know it."

"So you're twins. Identical twins. Nearly."

"Nearly? If Vergil wanted to play along we could swap clothes and hairstyles and nobody would be able to tell."

"I would. You always grin with mischief and he always scowls with disdain. Look at him," Maria said, pointing at Vergil who had just such an expression on his face.

"Hah! She knows you less than a day and she's got you figured already."

"She's equally fully aware of your foolishness, little brother."

"Stop it, you two. You're not at home," Maria said.

She laughed when she realised her mother used exactly the same words when her little brothers were too boisterous in a public place.

"Why is she laughing?" Dante asked.

"Because she is utterly mad," Vergil answered in a dry tone.

"Course, that's why she's still with us."

"Not at all," Maria said. "It's because you two can't be let out without grownup supervision."

"Look at that kid talking about grownup supervision."

"Careful, Dante. She's touchy about her age."

"Talk of which," Maria interrupted. "Why do you look the same age? Didn't you say you were 'preserved' in that box, Vergil? You were in there for more than ten years. Or is this one of those devil things?" Her eyes suddenly opened wide. "My God, you could be more than hundred already!"

"I stopped counting years ago, babe. Much easier. Pop looked like a man in his prime, and he had seen several thousand years already."

"We are forty-two," Vergil interrupted. "Devils do not age. We are half-devils. We may become old and frail like humans, or live for centuries like devils. We do not know."

"And the box?" Maria asked, still curious how the twins could look the same age when one of them had been 'preserved' for more than a decade.

"The Sarcophagus is demon technology and magic. It preserves a demonic body while its sprit is absent, in thrall to its captor. It does not stop the aging process because ageing is not a devil concern," Vergil explained.

"Obviously hair and nails are devil concerns; otherwise you would have looked seriously freaky after all those years."

"Quite."

"I suppose I didn't see you were getting older because of the glass lid. All I could see was a seriously hot man, a real Prince Charming."

"That will suffice, thank you," Vergil said in a clipped tone.

He got up, followed by Maria and Dante who was grinning from ear to ear.

ooOOoo

They had gone to one of the quiet lounges on board the ferry and were sitting together in the comfortable seats.

"What are your plans, Vergil? Know what you're gonna do when we reach Fortuna?"

"Yes, little brother. I am going to follow you because you are going to show me where Yamato is."

"Not a chance, Vergil. It'll be too late to start a brawl. The kid doesn't need that kind of agro. He lives in a nice neighbourhood. We can go in the morning, first thing … after breakfast."

"Foolishness, Dante. If we retrieve Yamato immediately, we can be on the first ferry out of Fortuna tomorrow morning."

"We are meeting the kid tomorrow at one of the Order's old training grounds. Somewhere you can fight and not cause problems, 'cause whatever you think, there will be fighting."

"Have either of you ever considered just talking?" Maria asked. "It's a lot less disruptive, and it wouldn't disturb any neighbours."

"We're half-devil devil hunters, babe. Fighting is a given. Besides Vergil wants Yamato, and the kid won't want to give it up. That's scripted for bloodshed."

"Macho idiots," Maria mumbled.

"You are wasting my time, Dante. I do not intend to wait for this boy who may not even be able to come tomorrow."

"Foolishness, Vergil," Dante said, perfectly mimicking his twin. "I called the kid from the office. He'll be there. Don't worry."

Vergil had no answer to that. His brother had obviously used his brains for once. He wondered about the boy who had Yamato. Why had Dante given Yamato to this youngster? The boy had repaired the katana but that was no reason to just give him such a powerful weapon. _He_ was the only one who could give his sword away, and he had no intention to do so. Bloodshed? If the boy had even an ounce of honour he would give Yamato to its rightful owner.

But what if he didn't? How could he force the boy to give up the katana? He had no weapon of any kind. Would Dante lend him Rebellion? Or did he bring another Devil Arm for his brother? Vergil realised he should not have left Devil May Cry without arming himself. It was the same thoughtless impetuousness that had caused him to attack Mundus in a weakened state. Foolishness indeed. His own yet again.

Dante too wondered about the meeting the following day. He could hardly wait to see Vergil's reaction to the young white-haired half-devil, so clearly of Sparda's bloodline. A suspicion that had been confirmed the day he had finished off Mundus. He and the kid had gone into Mundus' sanctuary while the girls dealt with any demon or devil that thought to help the Demon Emperor.

" _Another descendant of Sparda?" Mundus said. "Yes, I can smell the traitor's blood on him. Another ill-begotten half-breed mongrel. Do you really think you can defeat me? Your human blood makes you weak. The filthy scum that pushed you out of her loins defiled your devil's blood, and because of that feeble whore you will always succumb to me."_

 _It enraged the kid. His Devil Bringer pulsed red and blue, and moments later his spectral right arm punched Mundus so hard that the Demon Emperor staggered backwards and fell._

" _Nobody says things like that about my mother," the boy roared._

 _Mundus got up again and the fight started. They used everything they had on the demon. Both of them triggered. Nero's spectral Devil Trigger unsettled Mundus. The kid's punches, more accurate, powerful and devastating than the demon had ever known, caused a lot of damage. Ebony and Ivory, empowered by Dante's trigger tore Mundus' wings to shreds._

" _I thought you would have the decency to wait until I had a grownup son before coming back," Dante said to the weakening devil. "I didn't particularly enjoy meeting you the first time. Seems the kid and I will have to deal with you once and for all."_

 _The girls did a good job keeping Mundus' helpers away. Not even one of them got through their defence. Mundus started to weaken. None of his weapons could seriously damage the two half-devils. He didn't understand how two part humans could take on the Demon Emperor._

 _Arrows of pure energy were shot at Dante who absorbed them all, then channelled them through Ebony and Ivory._

" _This is for my mother and my family. Greetings from Eva's half breed mongrel," he said as he shot the enhanced bullets into Mundus._

 _Then Nero hammered the remaining life out of the Demon Emperor with his spectral arm, saying, "And this is for my mother, you prick."_

 _Mundus couldn't retreat to the Demon World this time. His remains slowly crumbled into a heap of ashes as Trish and Lady joined the men._

" _It is over?" Lady asked._

" _Yep, we pulverised the filthy mouthed old devil," Nero said._

 _Trish looked at the remains that were dispersed by the breeze._

" _He won't come back from that."_

" _Trish, Lady, if the two of you can clear out the rest of this place, the kid and I will demolish his third fortress."_

" _I'm not a kid anymore, old man. I'm twenty-one."_

" _You'll always be a kid to me, kid."_

" _Jerk."_

" _Nero, if he keeps annoying you, shoot him between the eyes," Lady suggested. "That'll soon stop him."_

" _Ow, Lady, did you have to tell him that?"_

" _I don't want to waste bullets on you, old man. I need them."_

" _That's a relief. Come on, let's go, Nero," Dante said, using the young man's name just to be on the safe side._

The announcement of the ferry's arrival in Fortuna disturbed Dante's musings.

ooOOoo

Dante, Vergil and Maria felt the shuddering movements of the ferry when it docked. They watched the passengers stampeding towards the exit, and waited until most of them had left the boat before they got up. Without being jostled about they left the ferry and walked through the boarding area to the large waiting room.

In front of them were rows and rows of benches facing the doors to the ferries. Most of the passengers had left the ferry terminal through the doors at the end of the waiting room. A few were trying to open the glass doors to the bar opposite the ticket office. Both had that slightly creepy dark and deserted look.

"And now?" Vergil asked.

Dante pointed towards the people who were lying on the benches here and there. Passengers who had missed the last ferry out and were now trying to sleep in the waiting room to catch the first one in the morning.

"We could copy them. Sleep here overnight, have breakfast in the morning, and then we can go and meet the kid."

"This is hardly a suitable place, Dante."

Maria, who was sitting down on one of the benches, said, "It's a splendid idea. These are actually quite comfortable."

"There you are, Vergil. If Maria doesn't complain, why would you?"

"Yes, Vergil. Lie down and think of Yamato. It'll be morning in no time."

Vergil sighed, but joined the others anyway. He feared it would be a long night. In the end it wasn't too bad. Maria slept through the night, but the two half-devils were woken up a couple of times. Though their youths had been spent in different ways, both Dante and Vergil had developed a high state of alertness which meant any suspicious noise interrupted their sleep. Despite this they felt rested when the smells of breakfasts cooking awakened them.

In the restrooms they found vending machines that dispensed small bags of toiletries – mini toothpaste and brush, thin flannel and small bar of soap – and safety razors for the men. Somewhat freshened up they went to the bar and had something to eat.

When even Dante had finished his extensive breakfast Vergil asked, "Can we finally go and meet this boy who has Yamato? I believe I have been patient enough."

"You have, Vergil. I can't even see any steam coming out of your ears yet."

They paid the bill, left a nice tip for the waitress, and exited the ferry terminal. Vergil knew that soon he would have Yamato again.

ooOOoo

 **Author's Note : Not much happening in this chapter. Even devils need a rest now and again.  
**

 **death5367: Thank you for following the story and for adding it to your list of favourites.**


	18. Chapter 18

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 18**

Vergil and Dante were striding along the main street. Maria was desperately trying to keep up with them. Afraid of being left behind she ran and pushed between the two men, linking her arms in theirs.

"What are you playing at, woman," Vergil asked.

"My five foot nothing type legs can't keep up with your six foot six paces. I have to slow you down or run behind you like an unwanted pup. I don't think so."

"Sorry babe," Dante said. "I'm too used to working alone. We should have realised you might not be able to follow."

With the girl between them they went at her pace towards the meeting point.

Maria looked wide-eyed at the beautiful old buildings in Fortuna. Architects and builders with knowledge of restauration work had been brought in to rebuild the city and bring it back to its old splendour. It was slowly gaining in renown as a tourist destination.

Dante often complained, "Most of my reward for getting rid of Sanctus and his 'Savior' has gone to restore Fortuna."

And Nero always shut him up by answering, "Of course, old man. You caused most of the destruction."

Since those events the Order of the Sword had been greatly diminished. It had nearly been disbanded, but despite the destruction of the Hell Gates demons still found ways into Fortuna. The Order of the Sword took on their defensive task immediately, though now separated from the religious leaders. No more Holy Knights and no more demonised fighters. It worked well, and the knights seen patrolling the streets in their traditional uniforms added a certain glamour to the place.

When the twins and Maria reached the old training ground Nero had not yet arrived. The place looked deserted and neglected.

"The boy is not here," Vergil said. "We should have gone to his home yesterday and claimed Yamato immediately. Your craven friend will not come."

"Hold your horses, Vergil. We are early. He will be here when the bells of that little church chime," Dante explained pointing at a small white tower in the vicinity.

The first peal sounded when a figure dressed in dark clothes appeared from the opposite side of the grounds. Confidently he walked towards the three onlookers. He stopped in front of Dante, glaring at him from underneath the red hood that covered his hair and hid most of his face. Vergil and Maria especially couldn't make out what he looked like.

"I'm here, old man. Why did you want to meet me here? What do you want from me?" Nero asked.

"Hello, kid," Dante said. "It's my brother who wants something from you."

"Indeed. Boy, give me what belongs to me. Give me Yamato," Vergil demanded.

"Why would I give up Yamato? The sword came to me all by itself when I needed it and has been with me ever since."

"Yamato is mine."

"Perhaps it was yours, but not anymore."

"Do not make me take it from you,"

"Try."

Vergil turned to his brother.

"Dante, you know I am unarmed. Lend me Rebellion."

"Sorry bro, Rebellion is mine. But I brought Force Edge."

"Your amulet?" Vergil asked, thinking of turning the sword into the Sparda.

Dante waved his finger. "Uh-uh. Force Edge is formidable enough. Besides, Yamato doesn't do tricks either."

Nero walked to the centre of the training ground where a circular arena had been marked out, a remnant from the days that the place had been used for training the knights of The Order. He pulled the hood down with his right arm and the sun reflected off his white hair.

Maria gasped audibly, "There's three of you?"

Vergil too was surprised but he had more control over his reactions. Not even the sight of the demonic right arm caused him to react.

Dante smiled, remembering his first encounter with Nero when the youngster had continually tried to hide his Devil Bringer.

The young man in the middle of the arena became impatient.

"Do you want to fight or what, gramps?"

"Insolent pup!"

 _Loudmouth, disrespectful; clearly a son of Dante, who probably doesn't even remember the mother,_ Vergil thought. _How dare he give Yamato to his own son?_

He entered the arena in the wake of six phantom swords that were swirling in a tight pattern towards Nero. Yamato appeared in the young challenger's hand and with one stroke he destroyed the blue blades. By then Vergil had reached his opponent and the swords clashed against each other. Their movements were quick, in attack and defence.

The older half-devil cut horizontally to slice Nero across the torso, left to right, right to left. Both strikes were parried by the younger man with comparative ease. A downward cut narrowly missed his leg, but was blocked in time. Vergil, still attacking lunged at Nero, trying to gut him, but again the reaction was too quick. Force Edge was knocked to the side, and with the follow up strike Nero swiped at Vergil's head.

Ducking underneath the arcing strike Vergil was pushed into the defensive. Nero launched his own attack. Force Edge and Yamato clashed as Vergil blocked two head cleaving strikes, pushing his opponent away with force when the swords clashed the second time.

The combatants were facing each other, trying to find the weakness in the other's defence. Vergil charged first, ready to cut Nero in half. The downward strike was stopped by a horizontal swipe. The swords slid off each other and in the follow-up Nero slashed at Vergil's leg. Yamato didn't bite in soft flesh, but was blocked by Force Edge.

Vergil jumped back to create some space between himself and his adversary. He realised that the arena was neglected more than he had thought when his right foot sank into a rabbit hole and he fell on his back. Nero took advantage. Yamato disappeared into his Devil Bringer. Then with the demonic limb he grabbed Vergil's leg, rotated and like a hammer thrower slung the half-devil across the field. Sparda's oldest son slid on his back and stopped at the feet of his younger brother.

Dante whistled. "That sure is a record breaking throw."

"Foolishness, Dante. The boy did not throw a regulation hammer. You told me Yamato doesn't do tricks, but you could have warned me your spawn did."

"My spawn? No, not mine, Vergil. If I'd had a slipup, the girl would have known where to find me. Hell, even you found me at Devil May Cry. The kid's got Sparda's blood, obviously, but that's all I know. It seems Pop had a second family after he'd dumped us. Didn't do any better the second time round."

Dante was still talking when Vergil was already walking towards the battle ground. When he reached the edge of the arena he sent a series of phantom blades in Nero's direction. The younger man pulled out his Blue Rose and shot the shining swords to pieces.

"A gun? Despicable!" Vergil said as set after set of blue blades swirled towards the younger man.

Faster and faster they followed each other. Nero produced Yamato. While still shooting at the distant blades he cut down the ones that came too close.

"Damned things," he swore when one nicked him before he could cut it down.

"Too difficult, boy?" Vergil asked. "I have been told you are a Knight of the Order. I believe you are no more than a trainee."

Between the stings of the blades that got through his defence and the taunts of Vergil, Nero was losing his cool. With a roar he lunged towards Vergil who waited and sidestepped at the last moment to let his opponent fly past. Carried along by his speed, Nero lost his balance and fell flat on his face. Moments later he felt Vergil's sword against his neck.

Vergil looked at the beaten young man. For the first time he had a clear view of Nero's face. Angry eyes looked up at him. Blue eyes but not ice-blue like the sons of Sparda. They had a hint of …

 _Green. Sea-green, sea-blue. Holly!_

Vergil shook his head and picked up the sword Nero had dropped. Yamato, his Yamato, back where it belonged, in his hand. He got up and walked towards his brother with Yamato and Force Edge.

"Give me back my sword, old man, or I'll shoot you."

Vergil turned back to Nero.

"Foolishness, boy. That gun cannot hurt me."

"Dante, I left the Red Queen at home. Lend me your sword, so I can get back what's mine," Nero said, his eyes never leaving the man in front of him.

"Sparda himself gave Yamato to me, his oldest son. You might have been its keeper for a while, boy, but I'm its master."

"Sparda gave you the sword, and you obviously somehow broke it. It healed itself and came to me when I needed it. It has chosen me."

Nero was now standing within touching distance of Vergil. They were glaring at each other. The wind ruffled the younger man's hair. Vergil saw his eyes again, eyes that reminded him off …

Suppressed memories were pushing to come through. Pain stabbed through his head. He staggered and fell to his knees. Anger became surprise in the sea-green eyes. Holly's eyes.

Holly! The last of Vergil's lost memories burst into his mind, vivid as if it had only just happened.

ooOOoo

 _Vergil had left Astaroth's house, Astaroth's protection. He had found the entrance to the Human World. He had learned that Sparda's power in Force Edge could only be accessed via the Human World. How? Where? He didn't know, but he would find out, find Sparda's power._

 _He had to crawl through a long narrow tunnel, sometimes only just wide enough for him until finally he emerged in the Human World. Fortuna, the island kingdom where once Sparda ruled, where he was still worshipped. Obviously nobody knew what Sparda had looked like. He could walk into any shop in Fortuna city and buy supplies without being accosted. The first time people looked at his white hair, certainly unusual for a teen. After that they just accepted that something must have turned it prematurely white._

 _He had visited the large cathedral, the centre of the Sparda worship, and had seen the statue, larger than life, but nothing like Sparda. It didn't look like Sparda's Devil Trigger, but neither did it look like the father Vergil had known. No wonder nobody suspected he was the son of their saviour. It seemed that not even the leader of the Order of the Sword had realised it, and he was totally obsessed with Sparda, fanatical nearly._

 _Vergil didn't care about the Order or their cult of Sparda. He was only interested in Fortuna's library, sure that it would contain many works about his father. He hoped to find the information he needed, the location of Force Edge, how to get to it, what artefacts, incantations, or keys would be needed._

 _He didn't want to stay in Fortuna itself while doing his research. He despised humans and did not feel like spending more time among them than strictly necessary. Nevertheless he needed somewhere to stay and the place that best suited his needs was the abandoned mining town. He found acceptable accommodation in what must have been the town's saloon and brothel. He stripped the bed completely, disgusted by the notion of what might have happened in it, but a new matrass and new bedding dispelled those thoughts._

 _Every morning he went to the library, spent all day looking through some book on Sparda, and left again when the library closed. One of the librarians had noticed him, and the sort of books he was interested in. She approached him one day and he was about to flick his hand to indicate she should leave him alone, when a book was placed next to him._

" _This was returned today, and I believe you haven't seen it," a gentle voice said. "I kept it back for you."_

 _The book was called 'Sparda and his power', a book he'd been looking for after he'd seen the title in the library's catalogue. He'd been annoyed when he hadn't found it and now it was put next to him._

" _I'll put it in the 'reserved' box until you've finished with it. It's the only way to keep it here. The students want it, you see. It's part of their studies. That's why it is hardly ever in. I wish I could let you take it, but you're not a student, so I can't."_

 _Without looking at the girl he said, "Thank you."_

 _His voice was cool enough to freeze the most ardent of infatuation which he thought the librarian had for him. When at midday some sandwiches and a coffee were put next to him he was sure._

" _This action is futile. I am not interested," he said without looking at her._

" _Futile? Do you mean you're not hungry? Is that why you never eat lunch?"_

" _Lunch? I presumed …"_

 _He looked up at the young woman, a girl really, about his age. She looked genuinely confused. She really wasn't trying to seduce him; she was just being nice to him. He looked back at the page he'd been reading._

" _My sincere apologies. I was mistaken. Thank you for your kindness."_

" _You do want lunch then? Good. Skipping meals is not healthy."_

 _She went back to the front of the room where a couple of kids were waiting for their books to be processed. He was staring at the girl. She wasn't what his brother would call 'a babe', too plain for that. She wore the same clothes as all the librarians, a long dark-grey dress with long sleeves covered by a lighter grey apron-like dress, very much in the somewhat medieval style of Fortuna fashion. A thick brown plait hung down her back nearly to her waist._

" _Milk chocolate coloured hair. My favourite. When did I last have milk chocolate," he mumbled to himself._

 _For a moment longer he looked at the girl while she helped the youngsters, then he shook his head._

" _Foolishness. She's irrelevant. Nothing but a human, a female at that. I have to concentrate on the essential. All the rest is a waste of time."_

 _He had a sip of the coffee. It was hot and strong just as he liked it. Then he picked up one of the sandwiches. The pack was open so he might as well eat one while he was reading. Before long the sandwiches were gone and the coffee drunk. A bit later the girl collected the cup and packaging of the bread and left without a word._

 _Day after day as promised, she brought him the book he'd wanted to see. It proved to be less interesting than he had hoped. He finished it in less than a week despite its size._

 _Every day at lunchtime the young librarian brought him coffee and sandwiches. Occasionally he would ask her about a book he couldn't find, and she would put it in the 'reserved' box for him when it was returned. All this she did in complete silence. Sometimes he looked up and caught her eyes. He wanted to thank her for the food and the books, but her strange eyes – blue? green? blue-green? green-blue? – confused him. When she walked around the library, putting books in their place, clearing up bits of paper left by students, he was too aware of her presence. He would suddenly realise he'd read the same page several times without taking in a word._

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note : Thank you to Winkysama00 and dagongirl13 for following this story.**

 **Jimli: I'm glad you liked the fight. I always worry about those. Nero? Stubborn and hot-headed? Surely not.**

 **DevilMayCryFan: I'm flattered by your request, but I know nothing of Legend of Zelda or Hyrule Warriors. It would need more than a bit of research before I could even think of writing this story. Ever thought of writing it yourself? You have a good idea there.**


	19. Chapter 19

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 19**

 _Eventually, even with the distraction caused by the girl, Vergil finished the last book. Irritated because he hadn't found the information he needed he slammed it closed. Not until he heard her voice did he know she was standing next to him._

" _You seem upset. The books were no good, were they?"_

 _He didn't answer. What could this librarian do except bring him lunch every day and reserve books for him? Books that had proved to be useless._

" _There are some more books on Sparda in the restricted section, but they are for members of the Order and privileged students only."_

" _I'm not prepared to join that pointless Order. How-"_

 _She interrupted, "I didn't think so. I don't think you're good at taking orders. You probably won't even take good advice. Of course as a librarian I can take those books home. We also count as privileged, you see."_

 _He looked at her with interest now._

" _You could come to my place every evening to read one of them. I'll even throw in dinner if you like," she said. "You could still come here during the day. There are a couple of books on the history of Fortuna, and some specifically about devils and demons. They might have some information on Sparda in them."_

" _Why would you do this for me?" he asked._

" _You look as if you're in need of a friend," she answered._

 _He wanted to say, "Foolishness," but something about the girl stopped._

 _Instead he asked, "What's your name, girl?"_

" _It's Holly, and yours is Vergil, right?" Seeing his surprise she continued, "It's written on your notepad. A possessive streak, I think."_

" _Quite," he said managing to keep a straight face._

 _That evening, one of the precious books tucked away in Holly's bag, they went to her place together. It was a small one-bedroom apartment in one of the ancient buildings in Fortuna. He read until she called him to the table, and continued after dinner._

 _It was deep in the night when she said, "I'm off to bed. I made up the couch for you, so you don't have to go home so late in the dark."_

 _A bit later he was glad of her thoughtfulness and he slept a few hours on the makeshift bed._

 _In the morning Holly made breakfast for him, and he accompanied her to the library. Without either of them saying anything more about it, this became the norm. Vergil found that the girl's ways suited him. She was quiet, gentle, and kind like Eva, his mother. Like Eva she had a core of steely stubbornness though, as proved the evening he continued reading when she'd called him to the table. Without a sound she stood next to him, put a bookmark in the book, and closed it._

" _Woman, I'm reading," he said, annoyed at the interruption._

" _No, Sir, you are going to eat," she answered, keeping her hand on the book so he couldn't open it._

 _He looked up in her eyes; dark, stormy blue on this occasion. She would not let him continue, not unless he used violence, something he didn't want to do. He liked the girl._

 _Being with Holly day after day, liking her as he did, it was inevitable that his teenage hormones started to play havoc with his usual composure. Her restrained ways fired him on even more. Something had to happen, and it did._

 _They were having dinner together and both reached for the serving spoon at the same time. For the first time their hands met, and they pulled away as if an electric current had passed through them. Vergil looked at the girl. She was beetroot red and totally embarrassed she looked away from him. He turned her face and looked into her eyes. They looked like deep mysterious lakes that pulled him in. Closer and closer he came until their lips met._

 _Their first kiss was wild and demanding. All their pent up passion and secret desire came out like an erupting volcano. They spent the night together and Vergil knew he had found his mate. He was only seventeen and Holly was a year or two older, but he knew, this was for life._

 _He never thought of his devil inheritance, never told her, never thought it would be an issue. After all, wasn't this the place that worshipped his father?_

 _Bit by bit Vergil's things found a place in Holly's apartment. He had started to relax. Finding Sparda's power didn't seem so urgent anymore. He still kept reading the books, but he found time to spend with Holly as well. He had started to feel more human again, began to accept it was part of him, realised why Sparda had loved Eva, a mere human. He had truly become Sparda's firstborn, and he resembled his father more than ever. Then his new life crumbled to dust around him._

 _They had gone for a walk to the mining town, to pick up the last of his possessions. A demon appeared, a dangerous boss. He told Holly to stay back while he fought the creature. It was a difficult fight and he was injured before he could even touch the demon. He triggered out of necessity and killed the fiend. A noise behind him made him turn and strike out. He had cut Holly before he'd been able to stop his strike fully. The shock of what he had done switched off his Devil Trigger. Holly was badly wounded, though not life threatening. The bleeding was a bigger problem. He took off his shirt and used it as a makeshift bandage, then triggered again. He picked her up and flew as close to the hospital as he could, landed, released his trigger, and ran at full speed with Holly in his arms._

 _At the hospital they asked him what had happened._

" _Demon," he said, nothing more._

 _The hospital staff didn't question him further. Demon attacks occurred fairly regularly on Fortuna. One of the downsides of living on the island._

 _Vergil waited around all day but didn't see Holly until the evening. She was asleep, lying still and pale in the hospital bed. The following days he spent all the time he was allowed sitting next to her. She was in a coma for nearly a week before she stirred. When she was fully aware of his presence she smiled at him but didn't say much, except that she was still tired. She kept drifting in and out of sleep. Before he went he gently kissed her goodnight and she responded with a soft kiss and a whispered, "Goodnight,_ _Vergil_ _."_

 _He never saw Holly again. The next day the matron informed him Holly had been taken to an isolation ward because the wound had become infected which had caused a bad fever. He was not allowed to visit her. Two days later she had apparently died. He said he wanted to see her one more time, only to be told that an unknown family member had taken the remains to the mainland to be buried._

" _I am her partner! I should have been told!" he shouted, but they told him bluntly that he had no rights because he and Holly had not been legally married._

 _He had been distraught. His mate had died and he didn't even know where her grave was. One thought kept recurring, and old thought, the same thought. If he had had more power he could have killed the demon immediately. Holly, Eva, both had died because of his lack of power. He had to find more power. He left Fortuna, closing his heart off from any tender feelings. There was no time for that, not until he had power. He succeeded. By the time he met Dante a year later he was like a block of ice; no warmth left in his body._

ooOOoo

And now there was this young man, a descendant of Sparda, but not Sparda's son, nor Dante's son, and he had Holly's eyes. But that was impossible. Holly died; they had told him Holly had died.

Vergil shook his head. Guessing was futile. He should ask. Dante, the boy, the hospital where Holly had died. One of them, perhaps all of them knew the answer. He became aware of his surroundings again. The young man, looking bemused as well he might. He'd only just been beaten and now his opponent was on his knees. Dante and Maria were running towards the two men from where they'd been standing. Vergil realised that he'd only been out for a moment, but it had seemed like a lifetime. He'd been seventeen again, had held Holly again, had felt the warmth of her love again, had lost her again, and it had hurt as much as the first time. Answers, he needed answers.

"Boy, who is your mother?"

"What's it to you, old man?"

"Nothing or everything. Now tell me."

"She's dead, and I don't know why you want to drag her into this."

Nero's words destroyed Vergil's last hope that Holly was perhaps still alive. Now he knew, even if the young man was his son there would be no reunion with his mate.

Meanwhile Dante and Maria had arrived. The girl crouched down next to Vergil.

"Are you okay? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"Not a ghost, but I may have seen her son."

Vergil got up. Then he noticed he was still holding Force Edge and Yamato. He handed his father's sword back to Dante.

"Here, I don't need this anymore. Tell me, what do you know of this boy?"

"The kid? Not much. I met him while on a case here. He seemed to be related, and when he told me how Yamato repaired itself and came to him, I let him keep it."

"His family, Dante, what about his family?" Vergil asked with urgency in his voice.

"Family? He's only got Kyrie now, his wife since last year. And me as a kind of big brother or something."

"Don't act the fool, Dante. I meant his parentage, his father, his mother."

"Oh that! No idea, Vergil. He must be a bastard of Pop's, obviously from way after he'd walked out on us."

"No, Dante. He's not Father's son. I've learned from a reliable source that Father died before the attack on our home."

"He's not Pop's, he's not mine, that leaves-"

"Hey! Don't talk about me as if I'm not here," Nero interrupted. "You want to know who my parents were? Mom never told me who my father was. She couldn't talk about him without crying. Sometimes she couldn't even look at me because I resembled him so much. She always said she would tell me when I was older, but she never did. She died when I was eight."

"Her name, boy. What was her name?" Vergil growled impatiently.

"Boy? Kid? What's wrong with the two of you? I'm twenty three and not a child anymore. My name is Nero. Use it. That's what it's for."

Vergil was frustrated and angry because he didn't get answers. His feelings were too strong to contain.

He triggered and roared, "Your mother's name! Now!"

Nero, angry as well, shouted back, "Holly! It was Holly! All right?"

There it was: the answer he had wanted, the reply he'd been expecting. The boy, Nero, was Holly's son and a descendant of Sparda, which could only mean that Nero was his son, a son he had lost before he had even known of his existence. Holly hadn't even been aware of her pregnancy otherwise she would have called him every name under the sun for endangering their child. He should have stayed in Fortuna. He had known that he had not inflicted a mortal injury. He should have asked questions, insisted on seeing Holly when the nurse had alleged she was so terribly ill. Instead he had stomped off like an injured elephant to hide his pain in solitude. All that was in the past though and there was no going back. Gone, lost, finished.

Vergil released his trigger again and slowly set off towards the exit of the training grounds.

"Hey, Vergil, what was all that about?" Dante asked, but he didn't answer.

He was vaguely aware that Maria was next to him. She seemed still determined to follow him. Then the boy, Nero, his son caught up with him and grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Why did you have to know Mom's name?"

Vergil looked down at the hand that held him.

"Let go of me, boy."

Nero held on even tighter.

"Are you the one who ran off and left my mom in tears? Are you the one who dumped her when she was pregnant? Are you the bastard I'm supposed to call 'Father'?"

With every question Nero's voice sounded angrier. Dante had joined the little group, mainly to take Maria to safety if the two men started to fight, which seemed imminent.

"I told you to let go," Vergil snarled, removing Nero's hand forcefully.

The young man growled and Dante was sure the two would start fighting. Just as he was ready to whisk Maria out of harm's way, she pushed in between the two men facing each other.

"Will the two of you stop already?" she shouted. "Vergil, answer his questions. A simple yes or no will do."

"No, no, yes, and stop interfering," he bellowed at her.

"As soon as you stop your foolishness," she retorted.

"What's 'no, no, yes' supposed to mean?" Nero wanted to know.

Dante knew the young man's very limited patience had become as thin as tissue paper. He was still ready to extricate Maria out of a sticky situation. The girl didn't seem to realise or care that she was dealing with two extremely volatile characters with short fuses. Juggling burning torches in a full ammunitions warehouse was safer.

"Answer properly," she ordered Vergil.

He glared at the young woman but didn't say anything. She had her arms crossed and looked at him, fully expecting he would answer, as if he were an obstinate child instead of a dangerous half-devil who could kill her in an instant. The girl was not so much thick skinned as ironclad. He ignored her and turned to Nero instead.

"No, I did not run away. No, I did not leave my pregnant mate. Yes, I am your father, probably."

"Your answers don't make sense, old man."

"I do not want to talk about it."

"The kid's got a right to know, Vergil," Dante butted in. "Besides I'm curious how a cold bastard like you managed to get laid."

"Charmingly put, as always, Dante." Vergil sighed. "Fine, I will tell you the whole story."

Vergil stepped out of the arena and sat down on the lush grass beyond it. The rest joined him and he told them how he had met Holly and how they had fallen in love. He told them about the terrible moment when he had hurt her, and about the day the nurse had said his mate had died.

"I had no cause to doubt the woman, and I fled Fortuna where I had been happy. I did not know Holly was pregnant, and I even doubt she knew. I believe that if she had known, she would have told me, even if my devil had scared her so much that she wanted to cut me out of her life. You told me she cried, but she _must_ have colluded with the nurse to get rid of me. Boy, I wish I could have been here with you and Holly, instead of …"

Maria who sat next to Vergil felt the shudder he tried to supress.

"The nurse at the hospital told Mom she was pregnant. Then she said you had bolted as soon as you'd heard you'd be a father. She said Mom was better off without one like you," Nero said in a quiet voice. "I don't think Mom believed that. She was sure you would have stayed if she had told you herself."

"That nurse caused …" Vergil shook his head. "The past cannot be changed. Nero, you are no longer a boy, but a man. You do not need me because my little brother, for all his faults, has been a kind of father to you. Am I right?"

"Well, he was an irritating jackass to begin with, but he has improved," Nero quipped in an attempt to dispel the sadness. He turned to Dante. "I suppose I'll have to call you uncle now, old man. Let's go tell Kyrie."

Nero got up. "Are you coming as well, Po… I mean, Father?" Nero quickly corrected on seeing Vergil's dark look. "Kyrie won't forgive me if I let you go without seeing her."

"Oh, those women. Never giving you a moment's rest, eh, Vergil," Dante said, as he helped Maria up.

"Nothing but problems, little brother," Vergil answered, and nimbly dodged Maria's elbow before it connected with his ribs.

ooOOoo

 **Author's Note : Thank you to Tomtakahic for following the story, and to ****Shivasb for adding it to your favourites.**

 **Jimli: I always thought that it would not be difficult to find Dante. He has lived in the same place since he set up his office at Devil May Cry, and he's not exactly the kind of person who could just disappear in the masses. Perhaps that's why he's always in debt. He has to pay too much child maintenance. :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 20**

Nero escorted them to his house where a very pregnant Kyrie was immediately bustling about to get everyone a drink. As if she'd been expecting them she had made cake and biscuits. The story of Holly and Vergil had to be told all over again.

"Now I understand," Kyrie mused. " The main obstacle has been removed."

"What?" "Excuse me?" "Sorry?" "You what?"

The exclamations matched the confused faces of those that uttered them.

"Did I say that out loud? It's something I've read in Sanctus' diary."

"Kyrie is writing a book. 'The Rise and Fall of Sanctus and the Order of the Sword'," Nero said, visibly proud of his wife.

"It all makes sense now," Kyrie continued. "'The seed has finally been sown', 'The main obstacle has been removed,' 'The Savior's core has been delivered,' and 'Parental interference has now been totally removed and can no longer stop operation Sparda.' I'm sure that if I check the dates on the first two they will coincide with Holly's stay in the hospital when she found out she was pregnant, and the moment Vergil left Fortuna. The other two were written on the day Nero was born and the day Holly died."

"They murdered her," Vergil said in a voice that sent shivers up everyone's spine. "That is the meaning of 'Parental interference has been removed.' My mate was murdered by Sanctus. Where is he? I want to grind him to a pulp."

"It's okay, Vergil. Your spawn has seen to that. You would have been proud of him," Dante said. " _And_ he saved his mate. That makes him a real hero."

"Stop your futile attempts at being humorous, Dante. This really is not the time."

Hearing of Holly's death had been hard. To realise that she had probably been murdered was even harder. Vergil's only comfort was that his mate had been avenged, and by his spawn. He looked at Nero and his anger dissolved. For all the young man's shortcomings and lack of style, he was still a son to be proud of.

"You know, Vergil, I had a feeling Nero was your son from the moment I met him. He couldn't take a joke either, and he was just as hot-headed as you, flying in regardless whether he should or not."

Then Dante told Vergil how he had met Nero, how eventually they had put an end to Agnus the mad scientist and Sanctus the equally mad leader of the Order, and how Nero had destroyed 'The Savior'. Or as Dante put it, "Sanctus' possessed toy."

Kyrie had gone to a small box-room that had been converted to an office. She came back with a file.

"Have a look at this," she said taking out a paper. "These are all cryptic notes in Agnus' diary. They all seemed to relate to the 'Savior Project'. I believe I have the answers now."

She handed the paper to Vergil who read, "'Sanctus' Savior Project good idea but major component missing. More research required.' 'SsoS disappeared five years ago, Savior Project shelved.'"

"That was the first time the Savior was mentioned, then nothing for several years," Kyrie said.

"Obviously that major component was the blood of Sparda," Dante said. "SsoS must mean Sons of Sparda. Those clowns must have gone looking for us. Unfortunately somebody had beat'em to it."

"Quite," Vergil said and continued, "'Major component for Savior Project arrived in Fortuna.' 'Acquiring component for Savior may prove difficult. Continuing attempts.' 'New development in Savior Project. Secondary source of main component possible. Employee health checks initiated for detection secondary source.' 'Another attempt to acquire main component failed, but secondary source has been detected. SoS needs to be removed in order to secure it.' Those people were as ignoble and devoid of honour as the most despicable demon."

"Sanctus saw you in Fortuna. Must have been him. Nobody else knew I was a 'primary source' except for Agnus and he was more of a lab rat. They must have sent their demonised soldiers out to catch you, at least until you started to date Holly."

"It continued afterwards. The reason I injured Holly was a demon attack."

"Is there more, Vergil?"

"Yes, Dante. 'Break-up of primary source and carrier secondary source initiated. Both have taken bait.' 'Primary source has left Fortuna. Acquiring secondary source will be easy.' 'Parental interference. Secondary source cannot remain unobtainable. Action must be taken.' 'Obstacle removed. Secondary source safeguarded. Execution of Savior Project commenced.' "

Vergil stopped reading. His ice-blue eyes shone with a murderous red light.

"They deliberately drove a wedge between Holly and me, and then they killed her because she wanted to protect our son. I wish I could make them suffer for every tear shed by my mate."

"They are dead, Vergil. Perhaps they died quicker than you would have liked, but they got their comeuppance."

"That is barely satisfactory," Vergil said, breathing heavily.

Everybody realised he was doing all he could to regain his composure and left him to it. Maria put her hand on his arm in support. Vergil's first impulse was to shake off the human's touch, but he didn't. Slowly the anger left him. It was after all futile as there was nobody left to vent it on.

The voices of the people surrounding him started to filter through his anger. Maria was asking Kyrie about her book. Dante and Nero gave more details about the Savior and its destruction. If things had gone wrong he might never have seen his son, never have known he had one, but Sparda's blood ran true in Nero.

Sitting there with Dante, Nero, Kyrie, and even Maria was very enjoyable, thought Vergil, and he wished he could get to know his son better, but he didn't have the time. He wanted to be on his way. Somewhere out there were seven youngsters who might be in danger. They still had a lot to learn, especially the younger ones, before they would be as formidable as their parents had been. Until then every demon attack was a severe threat.

Worry? It was a new sensation for Vergil. Especially being worried about somebody else's safety, seven somebody elses. As soon as he could without seeming to be impolite or unfeeling towards his son he told the young couple that he needed to go with the next ferry out of Fortuna.

"You have chosen your mate well, Nero," he said. "She will be a good mother to your nestling. Don't let Dante spoil it."

"You know, it could be 'them', Vergil. Twins, a sweet one like me, and a sourpuss like you."

"It was having a twin like you that made me a sourpuss, Dante."

Maria reprimanded them. "Boys, don't scare Kyrie with your behaviour."

"Don't worry, Maria," Kyrie assured her. "Dante and Nero behave like idiots all the time. I know what to expect from the blood of Sparda."

Kyrie and Maria laughed at the scandalised faces of the three men.

"I think you've touched a sore spot, Kyrie," Maria said. "You're not wrong though. I've only really met Vergil and Dante recently and even I know they are irresponsible, foolish, and foolhardy."

"Vergil, could you go and take Maria with you, please. I don't need another woman in my life to tell me off. That's all they do," Dante complained.

"Not surprising, little brother," Vergil answered.

He and Maria said their goodbyes and were ready to leave when Dante stopped them.

"Wait a mo, Vergil. I'm coming too. I have to return to the office. Kyrie, Nero, see you guys soon."

While Nero and Kyrie waved them out Vergil, Dante and Maria walked to the ferry. Just as he used to do, Vergil was holding Yamato sheathed in the saya Nero had given him. He felt complete again with the familiar presence of the katana by his side, ready for any foreseen or unforeseen attack.

When they were out of sight of Nero and Kyrie Vergil felt a sudden movement in his katana. He looked around for the idiot who had run into him. Not a soul was near him and Vergil dismissed the feeling as imagination. Before long there was a second jolt. They hadn't even made it halfway to the ferry when Vergil realised he had to hold Yamato with all his strength to prevent it from bucking like a wild horse.

Then a voice seemed to whisper in his ear, " _You are not worthy of me. You broke me, discarded me. Nero healed me. He is my master. I do not recognise you as such any longer_."

Vergil whispered his answer as well, " _Who are you? Where are you?_ "

" _I am Yamato, Nero's katana._ "

" _Lies! Yamato never talked to me before._ "

" _I had no reason to talk. Not then when I was your sword, and not when I was with Nero. Now, however I am being taken away from my master, and I will complain."_

" _I am your master. You are mine, given to me by my father, Sparda_."

" _And you held me in high esteem … until the moment you broke me_."

" _I was not myself then, you know that_."

Vergil was disgusted with himself that he was practically pleading with Yamato, a sword.

" _Too late. I will no longer serve you. I will abandon you in the middle of a fight_."

" _Fine! Be a boy's toy then instead of the weapon of a warrior_." Then, no longer in a whisper Vergil said, "I'm going back. There is something I need to do."

Maria and Dante, who were ahead of him, stopped and turned around.

"Is it that urgent, Vergil?" Dante asked. "You'll miss the ferry."

"I know there is another one, Dante. The last ferry of the day."

Vergil turned and walked back the way he had come without waiting to see what his brother and Maria would do. Dante saw Vergil stomping away, deaf and blind to everything around him.

"Come on, babe," he said to Maria "We'd better follow him. He looks as if he's going to do something stupid again."

He didn't have to ask twice. Maria was already haring after the disappearing figure.

Meanwhile Vergil's mind was in turmoil. Yamato had rejected him. It was as if Sparda himself had said he was disappointed in his oldest son. He still remembered the day Sparda gave him the katana, his fourth birthday. At the time the sword had been too big for him to wield, and obviously his father had still used it when going on missions. The first thing he was taught became his favourite move – drawing the katana and slicing through the enemy in one single motion. Not something that could be done with a sword like Rebellion.

What should he do now? Fight Nero and show Yamato who was the better master? Nero, the son he had not known about. Holly's son too. How different would his life have been; how different would all their lives have been if he had not run away? A life on Fortuna with his mate and nestlings. Surely Nero would not have been an only child. He might have found sooner where Sparda's real strength had lain, and would not have needed to find Sparda's hidden power. Temen-ni-gru would not have been raised. He would never have been Mundus' slave. So much of his life would not have been wasted.

Yamato. He had been younger than his son was now when he had lost the katana. Or rather had been made to destroy it. Dante had told him he had used a zweihänder as Nelo Angelo. Another sword he had lost. He seemed to have made a habit of losing swords. The zweihänder had been destroyed together with the Nelo Angelo body, but Yamato had been restored … by his son.

Nero. His boy, a boy no longer but a man. Soon to become a father himself, and a better father than he, Vergil, had ever been. At least Nero would not try to kill his son. Strange how history had repeated itself. He had grown up without Sparda, and Nero had grown up without him. At least he had known Sparda, and had never believed he had been abandoned by his father. Nero had been told his father had run away. There was no room in his son's life for a father who had suddenly come out of the blue, only to take back his sword.

Yamato and Nero. His son had wanted to keep the katana, and the sword had chosen his new master. Nero would treasure it, and by giving up Yamato he would forever be a part of his son's life. Yes, he would give the katana to his son just like Sparda had given it to him. How had it taken him so long to come to this obvious conclusion? He should have realised that Yamato was now Nero's sword the moment he had heard how the sword had healed itself to rush to the young man's hand.

All his musings had brought Vergil back to Nero's house. He rang the bell and Kyrie opened the door.

"Vergil? I thought you were leaving. Did you forget something?"

"Is Nero at home? I need him," Vergil said, not wanting to waste time on idle chat.

Kyrie sensing Vergil's impatience told him, "Nero's gone for a run in Mitis Forest. He was upset about Yamato. He'd become very fond of that katana."

"Mitis Forest? I hope I can find him."

"That shouldn't be a problem. It's more Mitis Park than Mitis Forest these days. So many houses have been built down there."

"Of course. Thank you, daughter."

Vergil went and Kyrie hadn't closed the door yet when Dante and Maria came running.

"Hello, precious. Where's Vergil off to? Do you know?"

"Mitis Forest, to find Nero. Why? Is there a problem?"

"No idea. He was being Vergil and went off without explanation. Got to run now. Maria has nearly caught up with him."

Maria had indeed caught up with Vergil and was walking next to him in silence. Soon Dante joined the quiet duo and for a change didn't shoot his mouth off. They walked through Mitis Forest, but didn't see Nero until they came to the part that still deserved the name 'Forest'.

The young man was beating a demon that had been unfortunate enough to cross his path. The demon had jumped on Nero's back and had instantly been pulled down by the demonic hand. It had landed on the ground and had been pummelled mercilessly. All Nero's anger and disappointment at losing Yamato landed on the demon's head and body.

"Hey kid, why don't you kill the poor thing already?" Dante said on seeing his nephew.

Nero looked up, surprised that Dante was back, but then continued beating the demon with his Devil Bringer.

"Shut up, old man," he said. "I didn't bring my sword."

"Take this one," Vergil said holding out Yamato towards Nero.

The young man stood up, grabbed the katana's tsuka, turned back, and decapitated the demon just as it prepared to lunge at him. Nero flicked the blood of the sword and put it back in the saya that Vergil was still holding.

Vergil shifted Yamato so that it was lying across both his hands and presented the sword to Nero.

"Take it, Son. Yamato is yours," he said.

Nero looked at his father utterly surprised.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Dante's reaction came seconds later.

"Are you nuts?"

Vergil answered, "Yes, Nero, I am sure. No, Dante, I am not 'nuts'. I am giving Yamato to my son, just as Sparda gave it to me once. Nero and Yamato belong together."

Nero looked at the katana in admiration, barely believing it was his now. Then it disappeared into his Devil Bringer and he felt strangely complete. He accompanied Dante, Vergil and Maria to Fortuna city. In front of his home he said goodbye.

"I'll miss you, Pop" he said to Vergil.

"Call me 'Pop' one more time and you will wish you had never seen me."

"Okay." Nero laughed. "Hope to see you sometimes, Father."

"Yes, Son, I hope so too."

For the second time Dante, Vergil and Maria walked to the ferry. This time they did not turn back but boarded the last boat out of Fortuna.

ooOOoo

 **Author's Note : Thank you Therjj for following the story and adding it to your favourites.**

 **Jimli: You should know now what Nero nearly called Vergil. - Nurse was a big bad 'Orderly' rat.**


	21. Chapter 21

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 21**

The last ferry back to the mainland was not very busy. Vergil, Dante and Maria found an empty table in a quiet corner of the bar. They had ordered drinks that had been brought by a waiter and paid for by Maria. They were sitting together deep in thought.

Maria wondered about Sparda and his sons. Of course she knew the legend of Sparda. Her grandmother had often told her about the demon with the soul who fought against his own in defence of the Human World. It had seemed an old story, but clearly it was still ongoing. Sparda's sons were a target for demons looking for revenge and for humans wanting to use Sparda's power.

Vergil remembered his life with Holly. He knew it was futile – she was gone forever – and he could not allow himself to think of her death or he would lose control. Instead he relived the days they had spent together as lovers. Bittersweet memories.

Dante still couldn't believe that Vergil had given Yamato to his son. None of the reasons he could come up with seemed valid. Why? Why had Vergil given up the sword he cherished so much? His curiosity got the better of him.

"One thing I can't understand-"

"Just the one thing, little brother?" Vergil interrupted.

"Cheap shot, Vergil. You can do better, I'm sure. Seriously though. Why did you give Yamato to Nero? You love that katana. You came straight to me because you thought I had it. You were ready to fight me for it. You fought Nero for it and won it back. So why did you return it to the kid?"

Normally Dante couldn't care less what other people did with their lives, but this was Vergil, a Vergil who acted so unlike the callous, cruel lowlife he had been as a teen. Not that this was bad. Any change in Vergil could only be a good thing. Vergil giving Yamato away though, that was just impossible.

Dante pressed for an answer. "Nero was happy for you to have Yamato, that's why he gave you the saya. He didn't mind giving it to his father; a father who had not abandoned him and his mother after all. That meant more to the kid than anything in the world."

Vergil wondered how much he should tell his brother and Maria who was also listening intently. This whole trip to Fortuna had been to reclaim Yamato. Now it seemed so much wasted time and effort. They deserved an explanation.

"Yamato is no longer mine. It told me that Nero is its master now."

"It told you? How could Yamato tell you? It never talked before, did it?"

"No it did not, and likely will never do so again, but Yamato talked to me. It would not do my bidding any longer."

"Sure you weren't hallucinating, Vergil? From what you told me I guess you've gone through some serious shit these past years. It could have scrambled your brain a bit."

"Dante, I am not mad. Yamato rejected me … because I broke it."

"You did what? Man, you're lucky Sparda's not around anymore."

"Unquestionably. I was Mundus' creature at the time. Yamato was just a sword that Mundus wanted me to destroy, and now it refuses to serve me."

"I'm so sorry, Vergil. You wanted your Yamato so much," Maria said.

She already knew Vergil had broken the katana, knew how much realising this had upset him. She understood what the sword's refusal was doing to him. She wanted to touch him, to comfort him, but he looked detached, as if he would reject any show of tenderness and understanding.

"Tough, bro. That's why you gave it to Nero?"

"Partly. I could have kept it as a souvenir of Sparda, but Yamato needs action. It would never do to hang it on a wall as decoration. Nero will use it. He's a protector of the innocents, and the innocents of Fortuna will always need protecting."

"But Dante and Nero told me they've destroyed all the Hell Gates on Fortuna. Isn't it safe then?" Maria asked.

"Hell Gates are not the only connections between the Demon World and the Human World. They are the easiest. The tower Temen-ni-gru was another, and Mundus' strongholds had several doors that served as portals. I crawled through a tunnel when I came back to the Human World. There are many gateways between the two worlds and Fortuna is sprinkled with them."

"A tunnel? That wasn't a real tunnel, was it? You didn't come crawling out of the earth, did you? There is no hell below us, is there?"

"The tunnel was real, dark and cold, claustrophobic in parts. However you are right, I did not come out of the bowels of the earth. The Demon World and the Human World are parallel worlds. The one is not a part of the other."

"I think I understand," Maria said. "You came through something like a connection between dimensions that pretended to be a tunnel."

"Precisely."

Dante had listened to the conversation with increasing wonder. Vergil patiently explaining something – to a human to boot – surprised him. Could this be an act? Dante didn't think so. Pretending was not in Vergil's nature. At least, it hadn't been in the days of Temen-ni-gru. When Vergil wanted his amulet he had first asked for it, and when he'd been refused he had taken it. There had been no fake friendliness to try and wheedle the amulet out of Dante's possession.

Of course that had been so many years ago. Then again, Dante hadn't detected that kind of change in Vergil since his return. His older brother still seemed to hold his honour as dear as always. Such a shame he'd been pulled into the Demon World when he was a kid. He'd come out a cold, murderous, callous, power-hungry half-demon, despising his human half more than ever. There had been Holly though; a human Vergil had called his mate. How different things would have been if those madmen in Fortuna hadn't interfered. And not just for Vergil but for Nero as well. Sanctus and Agnus should count themselves lucky that they were dead already.

Dante felt sorry for his brother. He'd lost his mate, missed out on seeing his son grow up, missed out on his life really since part of it was spent as a slave dummy to Mundus, and the rest locked up in a box. At least there was the future, but what kind of future would Vergil opt for?

"What are you going to do now, Vergil?" Dante asked. "You took your amulet, but you haven't got Yamato. Do you want to come to Devil May Cry? Join me in the business?"

"I have no intention of working with you, Dante. I believe that would be a bad idea, but I will come to your office if there is a weapon you would be willing to give to me."

With a twinkle in his eyes Dante said, "There is this Devil Arm you could have. Used to be this eager little demon-"

"On no account!" Vergil interrupted. "That is only a sizeable tack, not a weapon. It is only suited to hold up your picture of that ample bosomed, scantily clad redhead, not to be wielded in a fight."

"You surprise me, Vergil. I didn't think you would have noticed the details of the picture. There's hope for you yet."

"Foolishness, Dante. I am not blind," Vergil said. "Are you willing to help me or not?"

"That depends, Vergil, on whether you're still the same power crazed jerk," Dante said. "Are you thinking of opening a Hell Gate, raising another tower like Temen-ni-gru, or joining the Demon World and the Human World in some other way? Coz if you are, you won't even get a butterknife."

"You said yourself that 'some serious shit' has happened to me. You have no idea just how serious. Do you remember that you once told me we shared Sparda's soul as well as his blood? I have found Sparda's soul within me, Dante. I am no longer seeking more power but as Sparda's heir I need to be able to protect myself."

"Okay, Vergil. I'll give you a decent sword. How are we gonna do this. I can only take one passenger. Are you gonna fly with Maria? Or shall I take her on the bike?"

"I want you to take Maria, Dante. It will be safer. No arguments, woman," Vergil said, cutting off any remarks Maria might make.

Dante laughed at the dark looks the young woman gave the half-devil towering over her.

"You really have to keep Maria with you, Vergil. She's totally capable of keeping you in check."

Maria shifted her attention to the younger twin.

"And who's keeping you in check, I wonder?" she said.

Dante groaned. "I've already got two women who nag me constantly. That's more than enough for anybody."

"Oh, Dante, don't you know?" Maria said sweetly. "They only nag you because you need it."

"Please, Vergil," Dante begged. "Promise me you'll take her with you."

"I presumed you would be able to cope, Dante. Aren't you supposed to be a ladies' man?"

"Maria suits you far better than me, Vergil. She's worse than Lady and Trish combined."

"What's this? Pass the parcel?" Maria asked.

Dante and Vergil started to laugh.

"This is not funny," Maria said, trying hard not to laugh as well.

"Oh but it is," Dante said, hiccupping with laughter. "You're the most independent parcel I've ever seen. You decide for yourself where you want to be delivered."

"Quite," Vergil agreed, and Maria joined in with the laughter.

"You know, Vergil, this is the first time I've heard you laugh like that since before Pop disappeared," Dante mused. "Somebody must have removed that stick from your ass."

"Indeed, little brother. I believe they did," Vergil answered.

He smiled when he saw the surprise on Dante's face. Before his brother could ask who 'they' were Vergil stood up.

"I am going outside until the restaurant opens. Will either of you accompany me?"

Maria jumped up. "Glad to."

"Don't count on me," Dante said putting his feet on the chair Vergil had just vacated. "I'm gonna catch me some zees."

He put the bar's menu card over his face and crossed his arms and legs. Vergil shook his head and went out, followed by Maria. They came to the stern of the boat and looked out at Fortuna that was rapidly disappearing in the distance.

"Wouldn't you have preferred to stay there, Vergil?" Maria asked. "You've got family there. Your son and his wife; your grandchild soon."

"Nero does not need me. He is no longer a child. In truth, we are strangers to each other. I am certain he would try to impress me, to make me proud of him, and his mate would be kind and friendly. But there would be an empty place next to me. I would feel Holly's absence more on Fortuna than anywhere else. Besides, I have a task somewhere else."

"Don't you _want_ to see your grandchild?"

"That is a foolish question. Of course I want to see the offspring of my nestling, Sparda's great-grandchild. Nero and his nestling represent the utter defeat of those that wanted to destroy Sparda's bloodline. I hope to return one day and find a grandchild that has been taught well by his father and uncle."

"Convinced it's going to be a boy, are you?"

Vergil looked at Maria in wonder. "Why would it _not_ be a boy? Sparda had two sons, I had a son. Why would Nero's nestling not be a male?"

"Because it could be a girl. Would that be so terrible? A shock to your male ego?"

"If my grandchild is a female she will be loved, cherished, and trained to be an heir to Sparda's legacy. Whether the child is male or female is of no consequence, but I still believe Nero's first nestling will be male."

"As you wish, Vergil. Who would dare to deny the son of Sparda," Maria said with a familiar ring to her voice.

"Are you mocking me, woman?" Vergil asked.

Maria just managed to squeak, "I wouldn't dare," while short bursts of laughter kept escaping her.

This time _she_ jumped out of the way to avoid a jab of _Vergil's_ elbow.

They continued their walk and went to the restaurant when they heard a voice on the PA system announcing to the passengers that it was open for business.

Dante was already waiting.

"Finally you've arrived. I wasn't allowed in without a ticket, even though I told them Maria's name. Can we go in now? There's a pizza there with my name on it."

"Just the one, little brother? Or three like last time?"

"Not my fault if they make em too small," Dante grumbled.

By the time they left the restaurant the ferry had slowed down to enter the port of El Corazon. The town looked like a dark angular mass dotted with lights. Bit by bit dark shapes became boats, warehouses, hotels, offices, and houses behind a busy port. They watched the bustle on shore and on the boat as it docked, and waited until the stampede of people getting off had diminished before making their way to the exit.

They left the ferry terminal and went to the spot where Dante's bike was parked.

"Maria, I want you to go to Devil May Cry with my brother. I will meet you there," Vergil said and left them.

"I don't know where he's heading; Capulet City is the other way. We'd better do as he says, though. Get on, babe, and let's get going."

After a mad ride that had caused Maria to close her eyes so she wouldn't get dizzy, they arrived at Devil May Cry. Vergil wasn't there yet, something that pleased Dante a lot.

"Ha, Vergil's not that fast then. Come in, Maria. You can wait inside for Vergil. He won't be that long."

Dante pushed against the door and then had to grab it before it crashed to the ground when it came off its hinges.

"Damn! Why is it that whenever Vergil appears I end up paying bills? Go in and sit down. This will only take a mo."

Maria went inside and had a good look at the strange décor in the office while Dante fixed the door. She admired the juke-box. If that was a real antique it was priceless. It could of course be a good copy, but even copies didn't come cheap.

Dante closed the door.

"There, that's okay again." He saw Maria studying one of the skulls stuck to the wall. "Interesting isn't it? It's unique. Normally they turn to dust."

Maria didn't answer. Dante saw she kept glancing at the door where Vergil still hadn't appeared.

"Don't worry, Maria. He'll turn op soon."

"Will he? He's let me know more than once that he'd prefer to be shot of me. Perhaps that's why he suggested I come here with you. That way he can go where he wants to without being hampered by me. " She sighed. "I couldn't even blame him."

"Vergil said he would meet you here, didn't he? So you can be sure. He'll come. His honour would never allow him to sneak off. It's the one thing you can always count on, Vergil's honour."

"If you say so."

"I do, and if he does the unthinkable then you can always stay here."

"Thank you, Dante," Maria said. "That's sweet, but I couldn't stay. I want to be far enough away from here so I can never run into my stepfather or his brother."

"Well, the offer stands until you leave," Dante promised.

He sat down in his favourite position with his feet on his desk.

"Sit down, read a magazine. I'm sure there's one on traveling in Europe somewhere. It's a bit out of date, but I keep it. It's a nice big glossy; best one to keep the light out of my eyes."

"Have you actually read anything in it?"

"Sure. There's an article on Italy. Tells you where you can get the best pizzas."

"The best pizzas. I wonder why you would be interested in that," Maria quipped.

Dante leaned back and covered his face with another magazine. He smiled, satisfied that he had managed to distract Maria. But even Dante became anxious when Vergil still hadn't arrived after an hour and he was glad the magazine hid the worry that must certainly show on his face.

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note : A thank you to diego uzumaki uchiha for following this story.**

 **Guest: Other than Dante complaining that they nag him, neither Trish nor Lady appear in this story. If they still come to Devil May Cry to nag Dante I would say that neither has found a mate/boyfriend. Are they together? I don't know. Dante didn't tell me anything.  
**


	22. Chapter 22

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 22**

After taking his leave of Maria and Dante, Vergil walked back to the container terminal. It would be just as good for triggering and leaving as it had been for arriving. When he came to the spot where he had jumped over the fence the first time, he looked around to make sure nobody saw him illegally entering the area. He landed nimbly on the other side of the fence and strode deep into the maze of containers. The further in he was, the less likely that somebody would notice him taking off.

Suddenly he stopped. Demons! He sensed them, he smelled them. He realised they must be near. A group of them from the intensity of the stink. Vergil also realised he was virtually unarmed. He had no weapons apart from his summoned swords. He could trigger and leave, but the group of demons might have detected him already and would surely pursue him. He had no options though; he had to take the risk.

One smell in particular caught Vergil's attention. It brought back memories of being hunted down like an animal, of being tortured relentlessly. Sabnack, Mundus' lion headed henchman. For a moment Vergil forgot his lack of weapons and was ready to face a demon he considered one of his worst enemies. Then it was too late to leave.

"Son of Sparda. I knew it was you. Your penetrating stench is sickening."

Sabnack was looking down on Vergil from the top of a row of containers.

"Sabnack. It is my pleasure to return the compliment. I sense you are not alone. Not surprising. You always made sure somebody could do the fighting for you, unless your victim was securely held down by chains. You found your courage then."

"Filthy half-breed! I don't know how you escaped Mundus' punishment, but you won't escape me and my army. Get him!"

Vergil was standing in a kind of square, a T-junction in the middle of the maze of containers. From the left, from the right and from behind him different demons were approaching. His way forward was blocked by the wall of containers that Sabnack had chosen as the best place from which to observe the battlefield below.

"Think you can take them on, Son of Sparda? With your precious katana perhaps? Oops, no, that was broken, wasn't it? By you! How does it feel to have destroyed your birth right with your own hands? You're as easy to kill as a baby in its cot."

"A baby in its cot? Your favourite opponent, I believe."

Vergil ignored the avalanche of swearwords and insults that came down to him from Sabnack. He knew that the demon would not join the fight too soon. The groups of demons that were coming at him from different directions were more important now. A dozen or thereabouts Marionettes fronted the first group; the same amount of Scarecrows and Hell Prides were in the vanguard of the second and third group respectively.

At the back of the group on the left some scythes stuck out above the Prides. They looked dipped in blood, and Vergil knew what that meant. Six Abyss were following the smaller Hell Prides. The stumbling Marionettes on the right had been reduced in number already. The Blades that followed them were losing their patience. If they eliminated all the Marionettes that were in their way, so much the better. The Scarecrows in the middle approached warily, unhurried. Behind them loomed a lumbering shape, a Savage Golem.

Vergil ignored the Blades. They would be held up by the Marionettes for a while, especially if the two Demon tribes started to fight among themselves. He sent a round of his summoned swords towards the Scarecrows and turned towards the group with the scythes. One of the Prides, followed at a short distance by two of its colleagues, came running towards him ahead of the rest. Vergil dived underneath the scythe of the first Pride, threw the demon up in the air, and grabbed it by the neck as it came down. With his other hand he guided the scythe the Pride still held. It cut through the two that had followed. Then Vergil hurled the demon towards the other Prides, keeping the creatures' scythe for himself. Six summoned swords flew towards the group, but only three found a target; the rest was swathed out of the way harmless. With the Pride's scythe Vergil managed to decapitate two more demons, but he didn't like the feel of it. It was too clumsy, too unwieldy a weapon.

One of the bigger scythes at the back of the group disappeared. Vergil knew what that meant. He looked for the tell-tale sign of the Abyss' reappearance. When the ground rippled close to him, he brought down the sharp point of the scythe and stuck it deep into the ground. Blood spouted up like a fountain and the Abyss never emerged. The tip of the scythe broke as Vergil pulled it up again, rendering the weapon useless. He threw it away and the broken tip entered deep into the skull of its hapless former owner, turning it to dust.

Vergil knew he needed a sword. There were too many enemies to kill with just summoned swords, but it was all he had. Six blue swords materialised. One by one Vergil sent them towards the scythe-wielding fiends. Four found their target. As they exploded the last of the Hell Prides were reduced to dust. The other two were deflected by the scythes of the Abyss.

Five Abyss – not to mention the demons coming down the other alleyways between the containers and Sabnack waiting to finish him off - and no weapon. Vergil could not remember a time when he was deeper in trouble, except the day he had imagined he could beat Mundus while injured and weakened. This time he was not injured or weak, this time he lacked a weapon. Vergil realised he should have kept Yamato instead of giving it to his son.

No, that had been the right decision. The katana would have failed him as it had threatened. He should have asked Dante to give him, or at least lend him, Force Edge. Even the zweihänder he had wielded as Nelo Angelo would be welcome; the blade that had disappeared when Dante had defeated him.

While he was pondering his predicament Vergil kept sending his summoned swords towards the Abyss. Faster and faster the blades went flying; too fast for two of the Abyss. Pierced by multiple blades they exploded, showering Vergil and their colleagues in blood.

"Running out of options, Son of Sparda?" Sabnack taunted. "You've still got a few of my army to defeat. A dozen Scarecrows and Mario-. You fools! Stop killing your own! Save it for the son of Sparda!"

Vergil smiled. Clearly Sabnack had finally noticed that his Blades were not very fond of the Marionettes. He would still have to face the lizard-like demons himself. For that he would definitely need something more than his summoned swords. He needed one he could wield himself. He could practically feel the hilt of a sword in his hand. And suddenly, there it was: the zweihänder he had used as Nelo Angelo, called up by his need. Dante said it had disappeared, and now he knew where it had gone to. It had found the nearest thing to the Nelo Angelo body, another body that had held the spirit the zweihänder obeyed.

As soon as Vergil held the zweihänder's hilt he felt de armour he was wearing. Blue light pulsed along its arms, legs, and torso, as well as on the curved horns on the helmet. It looked identical to the Nelo Angelo body but this time it was just armour. Vergil's body as well as his spirit were inside.

Dispatching the remaining three blood-demons was easy enough. With the blue flaming sword he swathed the first scythe sideways, cut the demon in half on the down stroke, twisted round, and destroyed the weapon of the second Abyss before it could slice through his legs. Then Vergil cleaved the demon in two from top to bottom. The third one was swiping its scythe down towards Vergil who jumped sideways and upward. As he came down he hacked at an angle through the demon's head and torso. The blood of the three demons had come down like a rain shower, but it ran easily down from the Nelo Angelo armour.

From his viewpoint Sabnack was shouting, "Get him! Hurry up! Don't let him get away!"

Vergil realised he would have to kill all the demons; otherwise they would follow him wherever he went, and he had no intention of taking a pack of them into Capulet City. He was standing in the middle of the alleyway down which the Prides and Abyss had come. Behind him the Scarecrows had just turned the corner and were coming towards him. From the six summoned swords he had shot towards them earlier, five had found a target.

Now that he was facing them Vergil send more summoned swords at the Scarecrows. This time he targeted them more carefully. Two of the demons were too late to avoid the blades. They lodged inside their fat stomachs and exploded, killing them instantly. Two others had recognised the danger that had killed some of their number already and swatted them out of the way with their bladed arm. The Scarecrows with bladed legs jumped out of the way of the swords that whizzed past and hit the Golem behind them.

Only five Scarecrows were left. With the zweihänder Vergil cut through the body of one of the demons, deflecting its blade before the demon exploded and died. Summoned blades were sent upwards toward a leg-bladed demon, piercing its body and dispatching it before it could come down on top of him. A horizontal stroke with his sword cut right through the last Arm and decapitated its owner. Vergil jumped up high above one of the remaining Scarecrows and cut it in half as he came down, then he twisted and cut through the last Scarecrow before it could jump up.

Only the Savage Golem was left from the second group. Vergil kept shooting summoned swords at it. Piece after piece flew off the slow demon. The fierce onslaught of swords that never missed their target gave it no chance to regenerate. Vergil approached the demon, still peppering it with his summoned swords. As soon as he was within range of the demon he used the zweihänder. Cut after cut the demon diminished. When only the legs were left Vergil slashed through the left one down to the ground. The right one ran off, but Vergil jumped, calculating where he had to come down, and before the Golem could start regenerating he reduced the remaining part of the demon to rubble.

There was no respite for Vergil. The third group of demons was already appearing. The three Blades had lacked the patience to waddle behind the Marionettes. From the group of twelve only four remained. Vergil stayed back, letting the lizard demons deal with the last of the demonic puppets.

From high up Sabnack was shouting, "You idiots! Attack him! Attack the Son of Sparda together!"

The Blades ignored their commander and between them dispatched the last Marionettes. Only then did they turn towards Vergil. One of the Blades shot its claws towards him so fast that he could not move out of the way in time. They pinged against the Nelo Angelo armour, but didn't even scratch it. The claws fell harmlessly to the ground.

All three Blades rushed Vergil, slashing and stabbing with their claws, but the armour remained unblemished. Vergil wasn't standing still while this happened. He slashed and hacked at the demons with his zweihänder. This dented their shields and head protection, but didn't stop them.

Vergil jumped up and away from the Blades. Several summoned swords materialised and circled him, keeping the demons at a distance. One of the Blades jumped up, quickly followed by a second one. They intended to attack Vergil from above. Instead Vergil aimed the summoned swords at their underbellies. They fell down severely injured and Vergil finished them with one swipe of his sword.

Only one Blade remained now, very wary after the ease with which its comrades had been killed. Vergil shot more summoned swords at it but the beast kept its weak underbelly protected. The half-devil and the lizard-demon circled each other for a while. Finally they came together. Vergil hacked and sliced with his sword while the demon parried the strikes with its shield. Occasionally it punched Vergil with the shield or slashed with its claws. This was about endurance. The one who tired first would lose.

There was only one thing Vergil hadn't tried yet: his Devil Trigger. Triggering in the Nelo Angelo armour sent a pulse of power through his body. His sword strikes became even faster until the zweihänder became a metal coloured blur. The armour of the Blade could not withstand the speed and force of the onslaught. It fell down, exposing its underbelly. Vergil stabbed his sword in the soft flesh, killing the demon.

Only one foe remained: Sabnack, the lion-headed demon that had hunted Vergil relentlessly in his youth until Astaroth had taken him in; the worst of his torturers when he hung helpless in chains in Mundus' dungeon.

Vergil released his trigger and looked up at the demon boss, wondering if the cowardly lion would dare to come down, or whether he would have to chase him. The latter proved to be the case. Sabnack turned tail and ran off over the containers, jumping from one lot to the next. Vergil tricked to the top of the nearest stack and followed his foe. Sabnack tried to stop his pursuer and threw grenades behind him that made the stacks topple. Vergil still jumped the chasms, fired on by his anger, repulsed by the running demon's cowardice.

When Sabnack realised he had actually run full circle the surprise made him stagger on the edge of the container he was standing on. He tried to keep his balance but fell down in the square where Vergil had fought Sabnack's army. Vergil jumped down after him, grabbed the stunned demon, and slammed him against the wall of containers, denting the bottom one.

"You are a coward," he growled. "You are a disgrace to the men who followed you faithfully to their deaths. Defend yourself, and die with honour."

He let go of the demon and waited for Sabnack to grab his weapon. To his amazement and disgust Sabnack went down on his knees and begged for mercy.

"Don't kill me, please. You are the Son of Sparda. Your father would have spared me. He knew me, you know. We were friends. For his sake I beg you, spare my life."

"Get up and fight, you miserable creature," Vergil said. "Show me that you were worthy of your men's obedience."

But Sabnack kept begging, "Please, please, don't kill me."

Vergil had heard enough.

"You are nothing but a craven coward, unfit to be in charge of anything or anyone. You will not lead more men to certain disaster."

And Vergil stabbed the zweihänder through Sabnack, twisted the sword, and disembowelled the demon. It disappeared. Where Sabnack had sat on the ground lay a flail. This one was not the agricultural implement but a two-handed weapon with spikes embedded in the shorter striking part. Vergil picked up the Devil Arm.

"What the fuck is this?" he heard a voice say.

Still in his Nelo Angelo armour Vergil turned round to face the human who had spoken.

"Are you wearing fancy dress? What did you do to those containers? I'm getting the harbour authorities. You stay here. Don't move," the man said.

"I am very sorry," Vergil answered. "But I cannot comply with your request."

He absorbed the new Devil Arm and the zweihänder, and triggered before the armour had completely gone. In his regular Devil Trigger he took flight and flew out to sea. Once out of sight he turned to follow the shore, and finally changed course again towards the land. Eventually he reached Capulet City, the old business district and the street with his brother's office. He landed in front of Devil May Cry and released his trigger.

ooOOoo

 **Author's Note : Thanks to LostInTheSilence for following this story.**

 **Jimli: Vergil a family man? Surely only if he really wants to be, no matter who is trying. :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 23**

The door to Devil May Cry opened, nearly coming off its hinges again, and Vergil came in. Dante lifted his magazine and peeked from underneath it at his brother.

"And what time do you call this?" he said.

"Sorry, little brother. I got held up a bit," Vergil said matter-of-factly.

"Anyone I know?"

"A ragtag band of leftovers led by Sabnack, an old friend of mine."

"Lion-headed dude? He's a fast runner, that one."

"He won't be running any longer, Dante. I got this from him," Vergil said, putting the flail on Dante's desk.

Dante sat up to look at the Devil Arm Vergil had brought. Maria approached the desk as well. She didn't nag Vergil about his lateness or her worries. What was the point anyway when Dante had voiced her thoughts already?

"An upgraded farm tool? You gonna use that, Vergil?" Dante asked.

"You can have it as decoration, little brother. I doubt it will be a decent Devil Arm since Sabnack was such a coward."

"Fits that he became a tool." Dante grinned.

"Indeed, it does."

"A ragtag band, huh? How'd you beat them? Not just with those damned blue swords of yours."

"They were useful, as was a Hell Pride's scythe I borrowed, but then I discovered I still had this," Vergil said, producing the zweihänder and seemingly changing into Nelo Angelo.

"Holy macaroni!" Maria, who stood next to Vergil, cried out. "Could you warn people instead of changing like that all the time? You nearly gave me cardiac arrest."

"How? What? That thing exploded!" Dante said.

"Fear not, Dante. I do not become Nelo Angelo. This is merely armour, and it comes with the sword. By rights it is yours. You defeated me on Mallet Island. I believe I still own this sword because you did not truly kill me," Vergil said in his normal voice.

"Hearing that thing talk is freaky, especially as the mouth doesn't move. I think I preferred it silent," Dante stated. "You still want a weapon, Vergil? Or are you gonna use that zweihänder now?"

"I believe you wanted this sword in your arsenal."

"Sure I did. When I thought it was lost. But it's yours, Vergil."

Vergil thought about this for a moment. Was it really his? Did he even want it?

"I want you to have it, Dante," he said finally. "Too many bad memories are attached to it. Besides, it is more suited to your style of fighting."

"More suited to my style of fighting. I see. Hacking like a madman. That's what you used to say, wasn't it?"

"Quite."

"Okay, I'll have it," Dante said.

Vergil handed the zweihänder to Dante. Almost instantly the armour with the blue flashing lights transferred to Dante. It was still the same Nelo Angelo Armour, but this time it flashed red.

For the first time Vergil saw what he had looked like as Nelo Angelo. He had been right to give it to Dante. That period in his life was finished now.

"The armour is surprisingly light," Dante said. "I thought it would be too heavy to bother with."

"It is light but effective. The Blades' claws were totally ineffectual against it."

"Really? That's useful to know. Thanks, bro. Can't give you a katana in exchange though ... but I have something that might suit you."

Dante put the zweihänder down and the Nelo Angelo armour disappeared. He opened one of the doors behind his desk and went into the room beyond. From the office Vergil saw that his brother had gone into his kitchen, not his armoury. Soon Dante came out holding a Devil Arm.

"See if this works for you. The demon said his name was Daitora."

"A sabre, not a potato peeler as I feared."

"A potato peeler? I don't own a potato peeler. What would I need that for?"

"Considering your apparent diet, I wonder why you even have a kitchen."

"To warm up a frozen pizza, to store strawberry sundaes, and to make me a hot chocolate of course."

"Of course. How foolish of me not to realise that."

"Here, see what you think of it. It's new. I only defeated the sabre-toothed maniac hours before you came. 'One maniac just gone and another one arrives', I thought when you came in."

Vergil raised his eyebrows but didn't take the bait. Instead he went through a few moves with the sabre.

"It is adequate," he said after a while.

"Adequate is the best I can do, bro," Dante answered.

"I have always known that, little brother, but never thought you would acknowledge it," Vergil said with a wicked grin.

Maria laughed at the look on Dante's face; then he started to grin as well.

"Will you two be staying tonight?" Dante asked. "It's no problem. There's enough space."

"That depends. I need to be near Silver Creek. Is there transport out of this town tonight, Maria?"

"Yes, there is an interstate bus this evening. We'll be in plenty of time if we leave now."

"Then we will go. Goodbye, Dante." There was a short hesitation before Vergil continued, "It was good to see you."

"And you, Vergil. Maria, keep an eye on him. Two if you need to. He always gets in all sorts of trouble."

"I promise I'll keep him in check, Dante. Goodbye," Maria said and gave him a sisterly kiss on the cheek.

While Maria left Devil May Cry Vergil held the door to stop it falling down again. Before he went he turned back towards Dane.

"I have a request, Dante. There is a portal to the Demon World in the multi-storey carpark on Cedar Avenue. Do you know of it?"

"D'you mean the one that was Mundus' temple? With those three fun tunnels that go all over the place and back where you started from? I closed that permanently a while ago. Why d'you ask?"

"It was still open when I was here earlier, before I found my body. I believe you sensed my presence. You had a client whose brother was in danger."

"I remember. The kid had been taken to the temple of Abaddon the Destroyer. So I didn't imagine it. You really were there. Hah! weird."

"What happened to the boy?"

"You really want to know what happened to a lowly human?" Dante asked incredulous.

Vergil simply answered "I do."

"I got the kid out just in time. Those demons had scared the living daylights out him. So far he hasn't given his sister any more grief."

"I am glad you were in time. The girl deserved a happy ending to her worries."

"I think I'm hallucinating, bro. That sounded like concern for a human female. You're getting weak."

"No, little brother. I am finally becoming stronger. I have found the true power of Sparda."

Minutes after Vergil had gone Dante was still staring open-mouthed at the door.

ooOOoo

Because of the late hour Vergil triggered and flew with Maria to the bus station. It was easy enough to find a quiet, dark corner to land and release his trigger. Maria went straight to the luggage storage facility to retrieve the backpack she'd been filling bit by bit for the last months.

Seeing Vergil's surprised look she laughed and said, "I've been planning my escape for a while. I was going to leave after I'd seen my Prince Charming one last time. And then you woke up."

Less than half an hour later they were on their way out of Capulet City along the coastal road, the opposite way of El Corazon and Fortuna.

Before they settled down to sleep Maria asked Vergil, "Why did you come back to Devil May Cry? You found you still had a sword, so you didn't have to come back."

"Yes I did. I promised I would be back."

"I see. You were honour bound."

"Indeed. Now be quiet and sleep. It is a long journey."

ooOOoo

Maria hated the all-night bus ride. She only slept in short burst alternated with periods of being awake. What she wanted was a comfortable bed instead of a hard seat in a moving vehicle. Eventually tiredness knocked her out for a longer time. When Maria woke up next the pitch black of night had started to brighten. She was surprised she had managed to sleep at all. She looked at the man next to her. Vergil was still very much asleep just as he had been every time she had woken up. Like his brother he seemed to have the ability to sleep anywhere, anyplace, anytime. He looked peaceful, relaxed without the urgency that had driven him to Fortuna to get Yamato.

What did she feel for him? Her Prince Charming asleep in the glass coffin like Snow-white had acted anything but charming when he was awake. He had even tried to scare her away, but she had stuck to him like a barnacle to a ship. Of course her romantic teenage notions had long gone, even before she'd entered the cave to say goodbye, found the coffin open and kissed him. No, thankfully she was not in love with him, but she would stay with him as long as possible because she had promised Dante she would.

Two brothers, half-devils, so different in the roads they had chosen, and yet so similar in their rejection of half their inheritance. They had come from opposite sides. Dante had started to come to terms with his devil part, helped no doubt by the normal home life of Nero and Kyrie. Vergil on the other hand was still ruthless and still acted cold and detached, but the key-word there was 'acted'. Things Dante had said about his brother had made it clear to Maria that Vergil had been downright – or at least close to – evil. She was sure that she would have been dead by now if Vergil really had been as bad as he had once been.

"I don't know what you expect to see, woman, but you have been staring at me for the last hour."

Maria jolted when the man she thought was asleep suddenly talked.

"Holy macaroni! What's with you? Do you get some perverted pleasure from scaring people out of their skins?"

"You were staring and that is very rude."

"I wasn't staring. I was looking right through you because I was thinking."

"Evidently you were thinking about me."

"I was thinking about you and your brother. How similar you are."

"Ridiculous! Dante and I are not remotely alike. We are polar opposites."

"And I bet Dante would say the same, but you've both been struggling with half of what you are, half of your inheritance. I'm right, aren't I?"

"I do not wish to talk about that."

"Fine with me. You know my thoughts on the subject now. I won't mention it anymore."

True to what she had said Maria didn't talk anymore. She looked out at the landscape they were passing. She had never been outside of Capulet City and its suburbs, so everything she saw was new and exciting. She had all but forgotten the short conversation with Vergil when she heard him sigh.

"Yes, you infernal woman," he said. "Yes, you are right."

Lunchtime the bus stopped at a roadside diner on the outskirts of Silver Creek. When it set off again five passengers, including Maria and Vergil, stayed behind. Once they had had a quick bite to eat Vergil got up.

"It is time to go," he said and picked up Maria's backpack.

" _You_ don't have to carry my luggage," Maria protested.

"I do. I am stronger and do not tire easily. If I carry this we will get to our destination sooner."

"But-"

"See it as a service I render in exchange for the food you paid for … again."

"Okay, you carry it then, if it makes you feel better."

They walked through the town, away from the coast. Maria was glad that she didn't have to carry her rucksack. She had enough difficulties keeping up with Vergil's quick pace without being weighed down by luggage. Once out of town Vergil took a narrow dirt track, a path leading even further away from human habitation. About ten minutes later Vergil stopped in the middle of nowhere.

He took Maria's backpack off and handed it to her saying, "Here, put this on and fasten it carefully. We are flying from here on."

Maria, who had immediately realised what Vergil was planning, did what he said without asking questions. When she was ready Vergil crouched down and told her to get on his back. Next he triggered and took off with Maria riding piggyback. Vergil flew fast and straight for his goal, over fields and forests, rivers and farms. Eventually he landed and released his trigger. Maria slipped off his back.

"Give me your backpack. We are walking the rest of the way," Vergil said.

Without hesitation Maria took her rucksack down and handed it over. They were on the edge of a forest and instead of following the dirt road that skirted it Vergil took a narrow path that went into the wood. It was dark and dense, a forest out of a scary fairy tale. To Maria's relief it wasn't a deep forest. But just as the wood became less dense and lighter Vergil stopped. He seemed to be listening though Maria couldn't hear a thing. He dropped the backpack.

"Stay here!" he ordered Maria and ran off.

Maria wondered what Vergil could have heard. Then she too heard a noise. It came from among the trees behind her. Maria shivered. That was too much noise to be a rabbit. Instinct bypassed her brain and sent the order straight to her legs. _Run!_

She did. Leaving the backpack where it lay she followed the light blue flash that was weaving through the trees ahead of her. She came from among the trees and saw Vergil running towards a fight involving more demons than Maria cared to see. She heard something growl behind her, turned and saw a beast, thing, werewolf coming towards her. She screamed, then Vergil was there. With one stroke he cut the demon in half.

"Go inside," he said. "It will be safer."

Only then did Maria see the cottage. She ran up to the door that was opened a crack to let her in. As soon as she was inside a young boy closed and bolted the door.

"Hi," he said. "I'm Jim."

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note : **

**Colt Lightning: Thank you for following the story and adding it to your list of favourites.**

 **Jimli: Thanks for the review. So pleased that you liked the fight scene. I hope the other readers did as well.**


	24. Chapter 24

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 24**

Vergil had landed just outside the forest that surrounded the cottage. He had decided it would be better to arrive there looking like a human. If he landed on their porch in his devil trigger Damian, Tyler and even Carrie would no doubt attack him immediately. It might be an interesting test of their abilities, but he couldn't risk putting Maria in such a dangerous situation. She was after all merely human.

The path, more an animal track than a proper path, zigzagged around the trees. Vergil thought about the cottage and the youngsters, Sparda's Army. He felt like a wanderer coming home after a long journey. He wondered if Jim would recognise him. Suddenly he stopped. Had he heard something? Yes, there it was; shouting, clashing of weapons. An attack.

Vergil dropped the backpack and ordered Maria, "Stay here!"

He ran towards the clearing with the cottage. On the edge of the forest he stopped to evaluate the situation. In the clearing in front of the cottage the six young half-devils were facing a gang of demons. The youngsters had already met the fierce werewolf-like Daemonolupi, as well as the female, tusked Danglathas. New were the Dowad, large demons with rhinoceros-like horns in the middle of their foreheads and long curved claws on their hands. It should be a fairly even fight but when Vergil saw the boss that accompanied the demons he was concerned. Agramon's main weapon was terror. From a distance he looked like an average winged demon with two short horns, but any opponents who came close to him were confronted with their worst fears. Debilitated by that fear they became easy targets for Agramon or any demon that accompanied him.

Vergil materialised the sabre Daitora, the Devil Arm Dante had given him and was ready to join the fight when he heard Maria scream behind him.

 _That infernal woman. Why can she not do as she is told?_ Vergil thought.

He turned and got his answer. A Daemonolupus was running to attack her. Vergil tricked passed her and sliced the demon in half.

"Go inside," he said to Maria. "It will be safer."

Without hesitation Maria ran up to the door. Vergil saw it was opened from inside. He waited until the young woman had entered the cottage and the door was closed again before joining the fight.

As Vergil expected the bright sunny day turned into misty semi-darkness as soon as he stepped into the area that was under Agramon's influence. Fear becomes weak in bright sunlight, nighttime will strengthen it. Agramon knew this and used his power to create the darkness. Of course the demons that made up his gang were not affected by it.

With one slice of the sabre Vergil decapitated two Danglathas and eviscerated the Dowad that were blocking his way to Agramon. It was imperative that he defeated him. That demon's presence, the fear and the darkness he had brought on had too big an effect on the youngsters. Agramon was targeting them all with paralysing terror.

"Agramon, stop playing with the children and face a man!" Vergil shouted. "Or is that perhaps _your_ biggest fear?"

The demon spun round.

"Son of Sparda! I believe I have faced you already. You lost," Agramon mocked.

"That was then, Agramon. I was young then just like these youngsters. I am older now. Age-old with the memories of what you and others did to me."

"I can still make you feel like that boy again, Son of Sparda. Or I can make you the slave of Mundus again; bring every single one of those memories alive. If that's not enough, I know your biggest fear. You know you will never be like the great Sparda. You will never have his power."

"Foolishness, Agramon. Mundus is gone, and I have never been closer to Sparda's powers than today."

"Do you think we don't know that you failed to get Sparda's power at Temen-ni-gru?"

"And do you think Sparda depended on the power he had sealed away there? But enough of this. We are wasting time."

Vergil had seen that he needed to destroy Agramon and the fear he spread. Damian was being pushed back by two Danglathas. Tyler, who had defeated Adramelech, was now barely defending himself against a Dowad. The three youngest half-devils were huddled together, very much in danger of falling victim to three Daemonolupi, and Carrie was trying to get to them, slowly being destroyed by her fear of failing to protect the youngsters.

Without hesitation Vergil attacked Agramon who managed to block the cut. The demon's defensive action however was weak. Vergil realised that any one of the young half-devils could have countered his attack with more force. Agramon had depended too long on the effect of the terror he created. He had only ever faced opponents who were overcome by fear of failing, fear of the dark, fear of something or other. Now he faced a man who had known all kinds of fear, who knew how to conquer his fears. Three fast slashes later Agramon was destroyed, and his terror inducing fog was lifting.

With their fears evaporated the young half-devils leapt into action.

Damian parried the killing blow of one of the Danglathas, pushing it away with such force that it stumbled. The young man held his sword in both hands and spun round, cutting the demoness in half, and blocking the cut of the second Danglathas who had snuck around him to attack him in the back. Sparks from the demoness' eyes rained down on him, but he ignored their sting. With more speed than grace Damian cut the Danglathas over and over until she evaporated.

Tyler's sudden attack surprised the Dowad in front of him and it was sliced in two. The cool teen then rushed to a group of demons nearby. Carrie triggered, and like a shocking pink fury she slashed at anything within reach. A Daemonolupus jumped on her back. Before it could bite she'd grabbed it by the scruff of the neck, pulled it to the ground, and stamped on its head with enough force to break its skull.

Tessie, Cody, and Nicholas, who'd been huddled together, exploded in a flurry of action. Tessie and Cody triggered, soon followed by Nicholas. With her tail Tessie slapped her opponents' hands to dislodge their weapons. The demons she managed to disarm didn't stand a chance. A large Dowad, charging at her like a rhinoceros with its head down and claws ready to grab and tear, came to a skidding halt when she suddenly disappeared. The demon didn't know she had tricked to its right side until she jumped up. Before it could react she had decapitated it.

Seeing his sister using her spade-ended tail as an extra weapon inspired Cody. He twisted his prehensile tail around his foes' ankles and pulled them off-balance, or grabbed their sword arm to slow down or deflect their attack, often leaving the demon's body exposed to his returning daggers. The young half-devil had stopped copying Damian, and had developed a fighting style that was very much his own.

Nicholas had full control of his summoned daggers and loved using them. They looked more like stilettos now. He sent a couple of them, narrow like slivers of ice and deadly sharp, towards a Daemonolupus. Finding their mark they disappeared to the hilt in the demon's torso where they exploded, cutting the creature in half. Vergil was surprised how much the young half-devil had improved. Such development should have taken weeks instead of the two days he had been gone.

Big boulders in the grass unfurled. These were the Kelni, the small demons who fought with more eagerness than skill. They were not really part of Agramon's gang, but had eagerly followed the demons in anticipation of a fight. Not protected by the demon boss they had suffered even more than the young half-devils when the shadow of fear had fallen over the battlefield. Like hedgehogs they had curled up, waiting until the terror had gone. Keen as ever for some action, they stood up and joined the fight, dashing in and out among the fighters. The youngsters easily beat them, while the other demons just killed them if they were in the way.

Vergil meanwhile enjoyed the fight, and only regretted he didn't have a katana, but even without his beloved Yamato he was a force to be reckoned with. The sabre Daitora cut through the demons like a knife through butter. Soon only a few were left. Cody and Nicholas were facing some Kelni who were about as tall as the young boys. Tessie had been slapping a Danglathas and had started to attack the dazed demon with her sword until she finally cut it in half. Tyler dispatched the last Daemonolupus, while Damian dealt the killing blow to two Dowad. Carrie, still devil triggered, was furiously hacking and slashing at three Danglathas that managed to parry her every cut. Three Dowad and two Danglathas, had recognised Vergil and hoped to gain renown by killing the Son of Sparda. They circled him, but he just smiled, twirled round and sliced through all five demons. Just then Damian and Tyler joined Carrie. Each of the three teens downed a Danglathas.

All that was left were a few Kelni. Vergil grabbed one of them while the youngest half-devils dispatched the rest.

"You are lucky," he said to the Kelni. "I need you to take a message to the present Demon Emperor. Tell him that the Dark Slayer is back. Tell him that Sparda's firstborn has found his father's powers. Tell him to leave the cottage in the forest alone, because it is under my protection. Now go!"

The little demon decided that this time running might be a better option than fighting. As quickly as it could on its short legs it ran away and disappeared among the trees at the far end of the clearing. For a moment Vergil wondered if in his elation at being back he had acted irresponsible; that instead of giving a warning he had issued a challenge to the new Demon Emperor.

The fight was over. Suddenly Vergil found he was surrounded by the teenagers who pointed their swords at him.

"Who are you?" Damian asked. "How did you find us here? Nobody ever comes this way."

Vergil looked at them. Carrie hadn't released her trigger yet, and neither had the two youngest half-devils.

"I am Vergil, Son of Sparda," he introduced himself. "I am also Jim's ghostly friend and your teacher."

"Liar!" Damian growled.

"Mister, I've seldom heard a worse pack of lies," Tyler said more sedately. "Sparda's family was killed, which makes it difficult for you to be his son. And for a ghost you look rather solid."

"Lies are dishonourable. Sparda's sons were not killed and I am a ghost no longer. My disappearance two days ago returned me to my body," Vergil responded.

"We've got you, you lying jerk. Jim's friend disappeared a month ago. Let's get him guys," Damian yelled.

Just then the door to the cottage opened and Jim came running.

"Vergil! Vergil! Is that really you? She said it was you," Jim shouted.

The others stopped him before he could get to Vergil.

"Jim, can you tell if it's really him? The things he said don't add up," Carrie said while holding Jim back.

Jim studied the man in the blue outfit with the white brushed back hair. He looked like the coloured-in version of his ghostly friend. His mind carefully touched the mind of the man in front of him. Vergil recognised the gentle touch and the light, just like on that day the boy had searched his mind for traces of possession.

"Hello, Jim," he said telepathically. "Is that bug still inside me?"

"Hello, Vergil," the boy answered in the same way. "It's gone. We killed it just before you disappeared."

A smile lit up the boy's face and happiness shone out of his eyes.

"It's Vergil, our Vergil. He's back."

"Are you sure, Jim? He said he was gone two days, but he disappeared a month ago. How can that be?" Carrie wanted to know.

"Exactly. And he claims to be a Son of Sparda, which is an even bigger lie," Damian said.

"He _is_ a Son of Sparda. I knew that all along, And after what happened he could have been knocked out for a month without realising it," Jim explained.

They all started talking together, nobody hearing what the others said.

Maria had come out of the cottage because she had heard the din and wondered whether there was a problem. She saw how Vergil was trying and failing to be heard above the noise. Looking around for something that might sound through the racket, she saw an old-fashioned triangle dinner bell hanging in the corner of the veranda.

The noise of the triangle was loud enough to drown out the Babel-like confusion. The teenagers stopped talking and looked at the woman ringing the dinner triangle. When she had everyone's attention Maria stopped and gestured for them to come inside.

"Who's she?" Damian queried.

"Vergil's girlfriend," Jim answered which made Vergil cringe. "I think she wants us to go inside."

"That seems reasonable," Tyler said.

They all walked towards the cottage, the youngsters in front, Vergil behind them. When the teens had passed her and Vergil was just coming up the steps of the veranda, Maria made a counting motion with her fingers.

Silently she mouthed, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven."

"Don't you dare mention dwarfs," Vergil hissed at her as he passed.

He could hear Maria giggle as she followed him inside.

With a lot of undue noise the youngsters sat down on the sofa and on the ground, leaving two armchairs empty. No sooner did Vergil sit down or the shouting started again. Maria had originally felt that as an outsider she should keep out of the meeting, but since everyone yelled and nobody talked she decided that an outsider was exactly what they needed. She grabbed the heavy frying pan that stood on the cooker and bashed it down on the work surface, not caring if either got dented.

As she intended they all looked at her. She walked over to them, still holding on to the frying pan.

"All that shouting is not getting you anywhere. You," she said, pointing at Tyler. "You seem the most composed of these barbarians. You can do the talking. The rest of you; be silent. The first one who interrupts him gets a whack with the frying pan. That includes you Vergil. Now tell me, what is all this shouting about?"

"We have a disagreement," Tyler said. "He says he's Jim's friend Vergil and also the son of Sparda. Jim believes him implicitly, Nicholas and Cody agree with Jim. Tessie thinks he could be Jim's friend but isn't sure how he could be the son of Sparda as well. Damian is sure he's a big fat liar, and so is Carrie I believe though she doesn't like to admit to it for fear of hurting Jim. I'm not sure how he could be the son of Sparda, but I believe Jim would recognise his friend, which leaves me to wonder why he would lie about Sparda."

"Oh, come on, Tyler. Caim must have told you, like Azza told me. There was nothing left alive in that house. Sparda's bloodline was lost in that attack."

"They didn't arrive at the mansion until days after the attack. Any survivors would have left by then, wouldn't they?" Carrie suggested.

"Make it easier for him, Carrie. Why don't you? You just told him what to say," Damian snarled.

Vergil has listened to the comments and questions. He could not prove beyond doubt that he was Sparda's son. They either believed him or they didn't. Depending on that he would either continue training them or leave. It was futile to drag this out any longer.

"I do not intend to talk about the attack in detail. It is not something I care to dwell on. The demons came, mother shouted at us to hide. Dante did. I wanted to fight and took Yamato down. I was dragged into the Demon World where they awakened my devil. I was seventeen when I returned to the Human World. I am the son of Sparda and his wife Eva. Jim knows who I am and what I did. He is your medium. Tell me, how useful is your medium if you do not trust him?"

He looked at the youngsters with cool, emotionless eyes.

"I'll leave you to work this out amongst yourselves," he said, his voice as cold as a glacier.

Then Vergil got up and walked away. Nobody moved, nobody spoke. It was as if he had cast a spell that was broken by the bang of the door as it closed behind him.

ooOOoo

 **Author's Note : Thanks to Jimli for the review. Yes, the 'dwarfs' are back. And thank you aevitarum for adding the story to your list of favourites.**


	25. Chapter 25

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 25**

"Jeez! What's up with him all of a sudden?" Damian asked.

"What's up with him? Do you really have to ask?" Maria felt angry. "He's just helped you out in a fight against a bunch of demons, and you threatened him with your swords. Worse than that, you called him a liar. I think that hurt him more than your swords could do."

"Hurt? Did you see the look on his face? He's got less feeling than … than … than the coat stand."

"Damian, we need to make a decision, and you're not helping," Carrie said. "Miss, what do you know of him? Is he the son of Sparda as he says?"

"He mentioned that he was the son of Sparda, and his brother told me that Sparda was a loving but strict father."

Damian scowled. "Like that proves anything."

"Regretfully I have to agree with Damian. There is no proof that he is either Jim's friend or Sparda's son," Tyler stated.

Maria racked her brains. Was there anything that could help? Did she know something that could prove Vergil's claim? She shook her head.

"I'm sure Vergil is right when he says you should trust Jim. He would recognise his friend, wouldn't he? I can tell you that his body was stuck in a box for years until he woke up two days ago. He told his brother he'd been a bodiless being until that day. As for his claim about Sparda …"

Maria stopped. A thought had flashed across her mind.

"The swords!" she shouted out loud. "Dante had this great big sword. A claymore I think. He called it Rebellion. He said Sparda gave it to him. And Vergil thought his brother had his katana Yamato as well."

"You obviously know nothing about swords," Damian sneered. "For your information, he was fighting with a sabre, not a katana."

"For your information, he was fighting with a Devil Arm called Daitora. Dante gave it to him to use instead of Yamato," Maria said, her voice shaking with anger. "I've had enough of this. You don't even want to give him the benefit of the doubt after he's helped you, and with your friend's assurance that he is the Vergil you knew. I'm going. If you've got any other questions, I'll be outside with Vergil, Sparda's firstborn."

She stormed out and slammed the door shut. She joined Vergil who was leaning against the balustrade and hadn't even looked up at the noise she had made. She was breathing heavily and Vergil knew she was trying to control her anger.

In a deadpan voice he said, "I believe I have to keep an eye on you. Clearly you need somebody to stop you when your temper runs away with you."

With a sound that was half sigh, half laughter Maria's anger dissolved.

"At least you haven't lost your sense of humour," she said. "The way you looked at those kids, the way you sounded was cold enough to freeze a tropical ocean."

"I have been reminded that feelings can cause pain as well as give strength. I was wondering if the power gained weighed up against the potential pain. Then I heard your defence of me. Next you stormed out shaking with anger, for my sake. I know now. Feelings always come with the possibility of pain, but they also come with the certainty that a friend will be there for you."

Behind them the door of the cottage opened again. Jim came out and went to Vergil's other side.

"Vergil, can I come with you if they say you can't stay?" the boy asked.

Vergil ruffled the boy's hair then pulled it lightly, just like Sparda used to do to him.

"Do you really want to leave your friends, Jim?" he asked.

The boy looked up at him with his bright blue eyes.

"You're my friend too, Vergil," he said and Vergil felt a surge of power go through him at the boy's words.

Inside the rest of the youngsters were still deciding. He could hear the murmur of their voices. If he really tried he could probably make out what was being said. To avoid the temptation he left the veranda, intending to get as far away as possible from the cottage. He hadn't gone far when Maria caught up with him and hooked her arm in his. Vergil stopped and looked at her. Next he felt Jim's small hand grabbing his free left hand. Vergil looked at the woman and the boy, and started to walk again along the edge of the clearing. They skirted the wood beyond and turned back towards the cottage.

Vergil, not used to having close contact with people, started to feel uncomfortable, especially as Jim was holding his hand tightly, and Maria's arm was too close to his body. To his relief he noticed a narrow overgrown path, only wide enough for one person, veering off to the right. More because they would have to walk single file than out of interest, he suggested they check out where're the path went. Pushing through some tall weeds and overgrown bushes they arrived at a set of outbuildings.

"Jim, you check out the last one. Maria, you take the middle door."

Not even waiting to see if Jim and Maria did as they were told Vergil went to the near part of the building. Carefully he tried to open one side of the double doors and found that, although badly neglected, the construction was solid. He opened the second part of the door and revealed a blacksmith's workplace complete with tools. Maria joined Vergil.

"Tool-shed," she said. "Next-door is a tool-shed with several farming tools. It might also have housed a cart. I noticed there was a broken wheel. Also there are double doors like these on the other side and a wide dirt track leading away from them."

Jim came running.

"It's a stable, Vergil. For six horses. Except there aren't any. Just some old tack."

"Thank you, Jim. Thank y-"

The noise of the dinner triangle interrupted Vergil.

"They're calling us, like Maria did," Jim said.

"I think they've come to a decision, Vergil."

They walked back along the path to the clearing and the cottage. The six young half-devils were waiting on the veranda. Vergil's heart was beating. This was how he had felt the day he realised Sparda would not return. This was how he had felt when their home was attacked. He could hear his mother yell, "Run! Hide!" He could hear her screams as she was attacked. Loss! That's what feelings and emotions brought. Loss.

Vergil knew that during the time he had spent as Jim's ghostly friend he had come to care for the boy. How had he not realised before that he cared for all of them. He would lose them all, even Jim and Maria because he couldn't take them down the dark road he faced.

He had to return to the person he had been in the days of Temen-ni-gru. Alone, cold, emotionless. That was the only way to survive. With long paces he walked away from Jim and Maria. She ran to catch up, but when she put her hand on his arm he shook her off. He ignored Jim shouting, "Vergil!"

When he reached the veranda he didn't go up. What was the point if they were going to tell him to go anyway? He looked at them in cool appraisal: Nicholas and Cody, the youngest of the six, full of promise, even Cody who was as playful as a pup; Tessie, Cody's sister, always looking out for her younger brother; Carrie, a gentle girl but a fierce devil, always looking out for everyone; Damian, flash and loudmouth, as infuriating as Dante sometimes; and then Tyler, cool and logical, but not cold.

Tyler stepped forward. Clearly he and not Damian, the oldest, had been chosen to be their spokesperson.

"We have come to a decision, and it was unanimous. Jim is still very young, only a boy, but we believe that doesn't affect his quality as a medium. We believe he would recognise our friend, in whatever form he appeared. And we believe our friend would never lie. Welcome home, Vergil, son of Sparda. We're glad you're back."

Vergil thought he must have misunderstood, but when Jim grabbed his hand again, and he looked down in the happily smiling face of the boy he realised that he had indeed come home. Maria stood to the side a bit, so he pulled her close.

"It's okay to touch you again now, is it?" she asked, trying to sound annoyed, but failing utterly.

"Yes, you infuriating woman. It's okay to touch me again," he said, glad for the supressed laughter in her voice that had stopped the stinging tears from rolling down his face.

They had all gone back inside and sat down as a family when Damian said, "Hey, Vergil. You're the son of Sparda. We should call ourselves Vergil's Army instead of Sparda's Army. You're our leader after all."

Vergil realised that not so long ago he would have been elated. It had been his goal to make them Vergil's Army, but that didn't matter anymore.

"No, Damian. We are Sparda's Army, fighting in _his_ name, upholding _his_ values. I am not even fit to lead you. I have told Jim about my past and you all should know what I was."

Then he told them everything he had done, not leaving out Temen-ni-gru and the stabbing of his brother, or his life as Mundus' general that culminated in his defeat on Mallet Island. Maria had heard some of it from Dante, but hearing the full, unembellished version from Vergil himself she couldn't help but wonder. If she had known all of it, would she have reacted so fearless when she first saw his devil? Probably not, but it really didn't matter any longer. Just like Jim and his friends she accepted that those things were in his past and need not be discussed anymore. Then Jim told them about the buildings they had found and soon they became the focus of their discussion.

ooOOoo

The following morning before breakfast Vergil drove them out for their exercises. Even Maria didn't escape.

"If you want to stay here you have to be able to defend yourself if needed. That means exercising with the rest of us. If you are not prepared to do this I will take you to the nearest town. I believe your father and his brother will not look for you this far from Capulet City," he said.

Without a word Maria joined the line-up and the exercise started.

Afterwards Vergil even complimented them, "I am pleased to see that you didn't slacken in my absence."

"Fat chance," Damian grumbled. "Tyler took over, and he's as obsessive as you."

During breakfast Vergil told Maria he wanted her to join the target practice as well.

"Good," she said. "I've brought my guns with me."

"Guns. Despicable. They are no weapon for a true warrior," Vergil told her.

"For your information, I'm the housekeeper not a warrior," Maria retorted. "And I don't intend to become the heroine in the next Resident Evil film either. Dad taught me to shoot when I was still a kid, and I joined a gun club a few years ago because I knew Bob wouldn't like it. That's all."

She refused adamantly to learn to fight with a sword.

Vergil gave in growling, "You infernally infuriating woman!" Then he added, "This evening, first lesson in close combat and self-defence. I will not let you endanger yourself."

The youngsters soon found that although Tyler had kept Vergil's routine going, he hadn't been able to enforce it as much as their original teacher who pushed them to their limits and beyond.

Soon Vergil started to take cases or 'went looking for trouble' as Maria put it. He didn't take any of the young half-devils along despite Damian's grumbling and Tyler's expectant looks. One reason was his increasing dissatisfaction with his new weapon, the sabre Daitora. Vergil thought that it was adequate, but nowhere near as lethal as Yamato. He was sure that he had been faster and deadlier with the katana than he was with the sabre.

His frustration with Daitora became so bad that he decided to make a new katana. After all, he had learned the art of forging the weapon from the demon Astaroth. Though generally only available to master swordsmiths, Vergil managed to obtain the special tamahagane steel he wanted for the katana. While waiting for it to arrive he cleared out the smithy and made it ready for making his new sword.

When the steel arrived he started immediately, spending every free moment he had in his newly equipped workshop. The new katana would not be ready for a while. Forging it was a long, slow task: the repeated heating, hammering, and folding of the steel; the careful application of clay – thin near the edge, thicker towards the spine – for the hardening that would curve the katana and give it toughness while keeping a sharp edge. That would be followed by weeks of polishing. Finally he would mount the blade and acquire a suitable saya.

Still in the first stages of forging the new katana Vergil at times didn't feel like continuing. It would not be Yamato, the blade that had rejected him, that had chosen a new owner, and that he in turn had disowned angrily, calling it a blade for a boy, not a man, until he had finally accepted Yamato was no longer his but Nero's sword.

He realised it was good that Yamato was gone. It was a sword he had carried in a different life, when he had been a different man. He would no longer carry a dark, demon-forged weapon. It would be just a weapon, still in a way demon-forged or half-demon-forged to be more precise, but it would lack a living core like the dark element of Yamato.

He sighed.

"Having problems, Vergil?"

It was not so much the voice that startled him, as the fact that the boy was there and he hadn't noticed his arrival. The only person in the world who could sneak up on him, he was sure.

Vergil turned towards the boy.

"Go away, boy. I have no time for trivialities."

"It won't be alive," Jim said, voicing Vergil's own doubts about the katana he was making.

"Go away," he said through gritted teeth.

He liked the boy. Sharing Jim's body had giving him a knowledge of the child that could not be achieved by mere talking. Similarly Jim knew things about Vergil that he hadn't shared with the others, such as the demonic nature of Yamato. Vergil thought it was bad enough that his own memories reminded him of what this new weapon could never be. He didn't need someone else to tell him.

"I think I've got something that could help," the young voice piped up.

"Unless you carry a dark demon element around with you, I doubt very much you could help."

"No, I don't carry a dark element." Jim sounded annoyed, but then in a happier tone of voice he added, "I've got a light one though."

He looked at the boy again and saw how a ball of light grew between the child's hands. He remembered he had felt something else when he had possessed Jim, not just the boy's mind which had been strangely aware while he had occupied the body, but another presence, bright and equally aware, but closed off from his scrutiny.

"She wants to be in your sword," Jim said. "She wants to work again and she can't do that inside me."

"You will miss her," Vergil guessed.

This presence he had felt, so aware that 'she' could hide from him or at least block him, would surely leave a void. He saw the look on Jim's face, pensive, searching. The boy was feeling for the gap that was left, much as he would do if a tooth had been pulled.

"I'll be fine," he eventually said with a smile. "It's nice to have my head all to myself."

The boy lifted the ball of light and put it on the metal that would be the sword. He saw the element spread itself along the full length of it. The metal lit up.

"She says it's the right time to become part of your katana."

The light went out again as the light element seeped into the unfinished sword, but there was something different about the metal. It looked alive, just like Yamato had done. For the first time since he had started the job, Vergil was looking forward to holding the katana and practice with it.

"What is her name?" he asked.

"She hasn't got a name. You'll have to give her a name when she's your sword."

The boy left the workplace. A rare smile softened Vergil's features as he watched the child go.

From that moment onward he worked on his new katana tirelessly, uninterrupted, delegating supervision of the training to Maria and the older teens. When the katana was ready he went to the cottage to fetch Jim. Together they gave the katana with the light element a name, Akari.

ooOOoo

 **Author's Note : You may have guessed that the story is nearly finished. Just a long (2 part) epilogue to go, and Vergil's redemption will be complete.  
**

 **kazuyaminegishi: thank you for following this story and me, and for adding this story and me to your favourites.**

 **Jimli: Thank you for the review. Things never go as Vergil thinks they will, do they?**


	26. Epilogue Part 1

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 26 – Epilogue part 1**

"Vergil, Somebody called about a demon problem in a place called Milford. I've listened in on their police radio. It sounds really bad. I think they need us there."

"Warn the others, Jim. We are leaving immediately."

"You'll have to tell Maria, Vergil. She's planning a big dinner and I'm not telling her we may not be here to eat it."

"Why would she plan a big dinner?"

"Because it's been five years today since you came back to us. She wanted to have a celebration."

He looked at the boy, a teen now, and thought of the changes that had happened over the years. They had truly become Sparda's Army. All the half-devils and even Jim joined him on the devil hunting cases he took. They had an office, added next to the workshop after he had bought the place from the heirs of the original owner. Here they listened to the police radios of different places in the neighbourhood. They had also a telephone so that people who had found their number could call them, just like somebody in Milford had just done.

"Okay, Jim. I'll face the Dragon Lady in the kitchen. Get everyone ready to leave."

Maria would not be happy, especially if she had indeed planned something special. There was a reason why the youngsters had started to call her 'the Dragon Lady'. Her fiery temper used to explode on the slightest provocation, and even though she had learned to control it, sometimes she still flew off the handle.

Vergil returned to the cottage where the smells of cooking made his mouth water.

Maria looked up.

"Ah, Vergil, could you get me-"

"I am very sorry, Maria, but we have to go. Jim received an emergency call from Milford. He fears it could be serious."

"Today? Did it really have to be today? Can't you go to Milford tomorrow?"

Over the years Vergil had learned how to deal with Maria's temper. The trick was not to give her the chance to get angry. Giving her the choice between her wishes and people's lives always got the right result.

"Of course we can go to Milford tomorrow. We may not find anybody alive by then, but we can postpone going."

He saw the short struggle between the fifth anniversary dinner and people's lives on her face. As always it took seconds for her to decide.

"Call me when you're on the way back," she said. "I'll have dinner ready by the time you come home."

ooOOoo

They left in two new off-road SUVs, presents from a grateful husband and father after they had saved his wife and children from a demon attack. It took them four hours to get to Milford. The place was eerily quiet. There were signs of houses and shops being abandoned, doors left open, cars standing in the road some with engines still running. A bit further they left their cars on the side of the road.

"Jim, can you detect anything?" Vergil asked.

The powers of the boy had increased since the day he had spotted Vergil's spirit. He could detect all life-forces, demonic and human. The half-devils waited while Jim with eyes closed let his senses probe the town in all directions.

"There are humans, lots of them, directly ahead, and clusters of demons spread through the town," Jim said.

They looked in the direction Jim had indicated and saw a church spire. It seemed an obvious place for people to hide.

When they arrived at the church Jim didn't have to say, "They're definitely here, Vergil."

Vergil had already smelled the penetrating stink of fear. He knocked on the heavy wooden doors but nothing happened.

"Stay here," he said. "There may be another entrance."

He walked round the church and found the parish hall attached to the church building. One of the windows was left open. It was only slightly open but it was not secured. A small push opened it completely. Vergil jumped in, making sure to close the window behind him.

He walked towards the connecting door when he heard voices.

"That was a good idea, Mrs Dixon. I think we can all do with a drink, and we might as well share the sandwiches for this evening's festival. I doubt we'll be celebrating."

The door opened and two people entered the hall. One was obviously Mrs Dixon. The other was the man who had been speaking.

"Who are you? How did you get in?" the man asked.

"I'm the help you requested. It was a good idea to hide here, but not if you leave windows open."

"Oh dear," Mrs Dixon said. "I'll check them all immediately, Father Callahan."

"Have you come all alone to deal with those creatures?" Father Callahan asked.

"My associates are at the front door. We knocked but nobody let us in."

"We've barricaded the door. I suppose you're going to tell me we should have done the same here. You are right of course, but I'm afraid we were all panicking, especially when Reverend Jackson and his congregation came running across the square. We were too busy getting everybody comfortable after barricading the front door. Just about the whole town is here, and we fear and pray for those that aren't."

"Indeed. If you let me out I will deal with your pest problem. And I suggest that you barricade that door as well," Vergil said pointing at the heavy oak door between the church and the parish hall.

"We will, as soon as we have taken the food and drinks into the church."

Father Callahan unlocked the door to the hall. Vergil left and heard the click of the lock behind him. He joined the youngsters still standing at the front of the church.

"Jim, find me a nest of demons as far away from this church as possible. It is time we cleared this place of vermin."

"Why don't we take the nearest lot? Surely there's no point in going to the other side of town," Damian said.

"We may persuade the rest of the demons to come to us, away from the church, rather than bring the others here," Vergil explained to the impatient young man.

"Makes sense," Damian conceded. "Let's go. I'm ready for some action."

Jim located a nest on the edge of town. When they arrived they found that this particular group of demons were holed up in a club. They went in and found a kind of anteroom. One side had a glass kiosk with a board displaying entrée fees for various events; the other side served as a cloakroom. Opposite the entrance was another set of double doors. Through them they entered the main area of the club with the bar on one side and a stage opposite the entrance. In the middle of the hall was a large sunken dancefloor surrounded by three levels of tables and chairs. It obviously had been a classy place before the demons came. What the devil-hunters found was utter chaos. It could not look worse if the place had been bombed. Tables and chairs lay tumbled; demons were strewn about the place, lying amid empty bottles and broken glass.

"Drunk," Vergil said in disgust. "They have drunk themselves into a stupor."

"Easy job for us. Right, Vergil?"

"Quite."

The drunken demons started to stir. Some standing up, growling.

"Hey, that one looks different," Carrie said. "It doesn't look very demonic. It looks cute. Vergil, what-"

"Kill it!" Vergil interrupted her. "It is Udug. They look like that and promise to help. And people believe them, but they soon turn. They _were_ guardians once, but they forsook their task and became demons. Do not pity them, whatever they look like."

Carrie followed Vergil's advice without hesitation. The six half-devils, Vergil and Jim met with little resistance from the Udug. Most could barely stand, some were holding painful heads. More than half the Udug had been despatched when a large black-cloaked figure appeared on the stage.

"The stench of betrayal pollutes the air, Son of Sparda."

"Indeed. These dishonourable Udug only know treachery."

"I meant you! It is your blood that stinks of betrayal!"

"If you say so, Ahazu. I have no time for idle chitchat."

"The town is ours, Son of Sparda. Leave … or die."

Vergil ignored the demon in black. He just destroyed a few more Udug with his summoned swords. Ahazu screamed in rage.

"THIS TOWN IS OURS. IT WILL DISAPPEAR IN MY DARKNESS AND ALL THAT IS IN IT WILL BE OURS!"

The demons swirled its cloak and suddenly the whole club went dark. Not one light was left on, not even the safety lights. Vergil drew Akari. The light element in the katana made it shine in the darkness. Enough for them to see that the demon of darkness Ahazu had gone. Enough to continue their work and kill the remaining Udug.

The devil-hunters left the club. They could hear a commotion in the distance. Vergil had been right. The demon horde was coming to them, away from the church with the people. The noise grew louder as the demons drew nearer. Vergil and the young people he had trained waited patiently. A group of Udug came into view. They let them come closer, until Damian thought they were close enough. He sent four fiery summoned swords into the group, following in their wake. The carefully targeted swords exploded, killing four and injuring more. Damian hacked down the few that got away and finished off the injured demons.

By then the rest of the fiends had caught up. There were more Udug, some in their fair, angel-like form, others demonic looking with short horns on their heads and ugly, leering faces. Some human looking demons walked slowly among the Udug on their toeless hook-like feet. Vergil was surprised to see these Asanbosam in a town. They normally ambushed their victims in forests hanging down from the trees. Unsuspecting travellers would be hauled up the tree with clawed hands. They never survived the bite of the demon's iron teeth.

"Those are kids," Carrie cried out pointing at some small Asanbosam.

"They are no more than bloodsucking demons. Kill them or they will kill you. Trigger if you have to," Vergil advised, knowing Carrie would have no qualms about killing demonic children in her devil form.

The demons were trying to circle the devil-hunters. Damian, Carrie and Tyler attacked before they could be surrounded. Jim joined them, using another new power he'd acquired. He called it his 'slowmo setting'. He had told Vergil that he saw the fighting in slow motion, allowing him to anticipate any strike or action, and react with what seemed like incredible speed. During one sparring session he even managed to nick Vergil's arm, something none of the half-devils had managed. It had made Vergil wonder whether Jim's powers came from his unknown father or from the light element that had lived inside him for years.

Giant bat-like demons swooped down on Nicholas and Cody. The two teens had become formidable fighters under Vergil's guidance. They were ready for the swarm. Nicholas' summoned icicle-like stilettos exploded on impact. The force drove the sharp point deeper into the demon that was hit, while flying shards killed or injured any that were close enough. Cody threw his mother's returning knives one after the other. Just after the last one had left his hand the first one returned to it, only to be thrown again; a continuous stream of sharp blades that never missed their target.

Any of these vampiric Sasabonsam that escaped the boys' attack flew on, stubby arms outstretched, claws at the ready to hook into their victim's shoulders, eager to sink their sharp teeth into a pulsating jugular. Some were stopped in mid-air, yanked onto the ground by Cody's grabbing tail, or were knocked out of the sky by spaded end of Tessie's tail.

Once on the ground they were fairly helpless. Their fat bodies and small wings made take-off difficult and stubby legs meant they couldn't run fast. Their demise was a certainty, and even those that remained airborne didn't fare any better. Tessie made sure not one of them escaped.

Vergil watched while the demons that targeted him were surrounding him. From the corners of his eyes he looked at them, turning slightly to the left and right. When he was surrounded he used a move that he had perfected with Yamato. He hit a couple of Udug that had come too close with the saya of his katana, then drew the sword and in that drawing arc sliced through the different demons that stood in a circle around him. Even those that stood back a bit perished when Akari's light effectively extended the katana beyond its physical end.

After flicking the blood of the katana he sheathed it, waiting for a new batch of demons to come closer. A Sasabonsam that had veered off from the main group flew towards Vergil. Without even looking at it Sparda's firstborn knocked it out with his sheathed sword. Next moment Akari bit through the demons surrounding Vergil. At the end of strike he turned the katana's cutting edge inward swinging back to his original position. Not one of the demons that had surrounded him was left standing.

He turned towards the rest. His face showed neither pity for his victims, nor hatred for those still living. The only sign of emotion was a cold smile and a glitter of enjoyment in his eyes. Moving among the demons like a killing whirlwind he showed why he was known as the Dark Slayer.

Vergil knew that Ahazu, Lord of the Night, had returned when darkness fell instantly. The gloom didn't last. Akari blazed like a beacon allowing the devil-hunters to see their quarry.

Ahazu roared in annoyance, "That is impossible! Nothing can dispel my darkness!" Then on seeing the katana added, "You can't have Yamato. You broke it. Mundus made you break it. I saw it."

"Indeed, and Yamato took revenge. Mundus was defeated by the one who wields it now. This is Akari and she is averse to darkness."

"No matter what sword you have, Son of Sparda, you cannot defeat Darkness."

Without answering Vergil tricked towards the demon and attacked. The deeper Ahazu made his darkness, the brighter Akari shone. Ahazu's sword of darkness and Vergil's katana clashed time and time again. The demon boss was reduced to defending against Vergil's onslaught. Eventually with both hands on the tsuba, Vergil brought down Akari, cleaving Ahazu, the demon of the night, in two.

"A guaranteed outcome," Vergil said. "Demons of darkness and fear rely too much on their effect on other creatures, and forget the art of combat."

He looked around and saw that Ahazu's horde had been decimated. A few survivors were running away towards the centre of Milford, already pursued by Damian, Cody, and a bright pink she-devil.

"Now we catch and despatch." Tyler said, already triggered.

The silver devil didn't wait for an answer but streaked away, followed by Tessie and Nicholas who had also triggered.

"Don't know why they're in such a hurry," Jim commented. "Those demons are joining the group that's near the square in front of the church."

"How many are left?" Vergil wanted to know.

"Less and less of that group. They're under attack," Jim answered. "And it's not just Damian and Carrie," he added. "There are others … half-devils. Two other half-devils are attacking them as well. Who are they?"

"Acquaintances. Come, we need to go."

"Vergil, more demons are coming from the edge of town. They're all heading toward the square at the church."

"The more reason to join the fight, Jim."

"So much for keeping them away from that place."

"Quite," Vergil answered annoyed that his plan hadn't worked.

As well as fighting the demons flocking to the square they would have to stop them from invading the church.

ooOOoo

* * *

 **Author's Note : To Jimli: Thank you for the review. I knew Devil May Cry was originally meant to be Resident Evil 4. It was a very deliberate reference.**


	27. Epilogue Part 2

**The Crystal Sarcophagus**

 **PART 27 – Epilogue Part 2**

At the square the fighting was fierce. The remaining demons defended themselves with all the power they could muster. Their despised enemy was stronger than they had expected. Jim and Vergil picked off a few that tried to get away.

Vergil could hear his brother's running comment.

"Hey, you're not leaving the party, are you?" Dante asked a Sasabonsam shooting it down as it tried to fly away.

"Don't bite me, babe. I'll disagree with you if you bite me," he said to a female Asanbosam before shooting it point-blank.

Nero's impatience was audible when he asked, "Do you always have to run your mouth off, old man?"

"Sure, kid, it's part of the fun."

"This is a fight, not fun," Nero said turning towards Dante after finishing off a last demon.

"No, not now the party's over," Dante answered killing the last Udug.

"Famous last words, old man. Look there."

From every direction demons converged on the square. A group of Blades was running ahead of the rest.

"Finally! Some real action. Come on, kid. Let's party!"

Dante ran towards the Blades, materialising the Nelo Angelo zweihänder and armour. He hacked and slashed at the demon lizards, not hindered by their claws, and easily parrying their attacks. Other Blades arrived, joining their comrades under attack. Soon Dante was surrounded. He felt the sword of a Blade hit his arm, and even if it didn't penetrate the armour, he felt the force of the stroke in his hand. Dante hadn't dropped his sword, but he realised the danger if he did. The armour would disappear and he would be totally defenceless against the ripping claws.

"Let's see what triggering does in this thing," Dante said.

The power of the Nelo Angelo trigger totally surprised him. Had Vergil known about this? Had Vergil really given this power away?

"Woah! Now we're cooking with gas!" Dante cried out.

The Blades' armour could not withstand the zweihänder in its triggered form. Their shield and, sword seemed mere toys. The half-devil's weapon pulsed with power as it cut through all of them. The lizards, too close to Dante after their mass attack, fell like flies. Instead of scaring them away, the death of their comrades seemed to fire up the remaining Blades. Dante stood in the middle of a confusion of bodies, unhindered, but the huge sword he carried brought death with every stroke.

The young half-devils of Sparda's Army fought a mixed bunch of Daemonolupi, Hells, and Sins while Nero attacked a group of Scarecrows. Slashing at them, blocking their every strike, using their blades as a springboard, and hacking them in half on the way down.

Some Daemonolupi had sensed the prey that was hiding in the church. They were clambering up the building towards the windows. Vergil sent some summoned swords towards the climbing demons and brought them down. A number of them managed to make their way towards the back of the church and the parish hall. A weak point in Vergil's opinion. He called the youngest half-devils.

"Nicholas, Cody, this way."

The two came running and Vergil directed them to the building.

"Make sure not one of those demons reaches a window. Jim, you help them. There will be more soon."

It wouldn't be long before the noise of the fighting would get through to the people hiding inside. The stench of fear would become so intense even a demon with a cold would be able to smell it. They would swarm towards the church.

With their nearly unlimited supply of throwing knives and daggers Nicholas and Cody could bring down the climbers, while together with Jim they would stop as many as possible from reaching the building. Vergil went round the back towards the hall. The demons had already broken one of the too flimsy windows there, and were climbing inside. Another window shattered. Vergil went towards it, cut down the Daemonolupus blocking his way in, and entered the parish hall through a window for the second time.

Vergil's summoned swords cut a pathway to the connecting door for him. Holding Akira ready for his characteristic drawing strike he waited for the demons to come. He would make sure not one of them got through.

More windows were destroyed as Vergil sliced down the first wave of Daemonolupi. More came in baying for blood, howling in frustration at the man with the cold, emotionless eyes who stood between them and their prey. The people inside the church heard the noise, and the distinct smell of fear seeping through the cracks around the door made the demons mad with rage.

The dark instinct of the devil stirred deep within Vergil, but he ignored it. No longer would he hunt like an animal, no longer listen to the call of darkness. He was a protector and defender of the innocent and helpless, like Sparda had been. Akari sensed his determination and strengthened him with her light. Sword and man were like one.

To some of the demons it was as if one they'd thought gone had returned, fiercer and deadlier than ever. They wanted to withdraw, but were pushed forward by newcomers until they looked into the cold eyes of death and perished, sliced through and through by Sparda's Firstborn.

There was no respite for Vergil as demons kept coming through the broken windows. Wave after wave of the fiends fell to Akari. He never wondered if his strength could hold. He never feared he might fail. And always there was the light element in his katana that sent a pulse of energy through him, a comfort and support.

Night had fallen and the fighting didn't stop. The youngest members of Sparda's Army were working together to keep the demons away from the church. Tessie and Tyler had joined them to stop the hordes that wanted to go around the side of the church. Quite a few still escaped and ran on towards the parish hall. Damian and Carrie had been running all over the square, killing small groups of demons as they came from several areas of the town. Carrie was still in her shocking pink trigger, happily killing the Udug in their fair form and the bloodthirsty Asanbosam children, as well as the fierce Danglathas.

When the first light of the new day appeared the fighting still continued.

Dante had managed to destroy all the Blades. At least, none had appeared for some time. Other demons still arrived. There was no lack of 'fun' to be had for him or Nero.

"This is not normal, old man," Nero said. "There are too many demons for your average invasion from Hell."

Dante had noticed that all new arrivals were coming to the square from the same direction.

"Kid,I think there's a portal somewhere. I'm gonna see if I can't close that door."

"I'm coming with you old man. You might need some help pushing it shut."

They decided that instead of meeting the demons head-on, it would be quicker to go over the rooftops. It seemed that the seven still fighting on the square could hold out for a while yet, but the sooner the portal was closed the better.

Following the stream of demons in the opposite direction, Dante and Nero located the building. The narrow open door vomited demons. It was impossible to get past. An open window on the upper floor gave the devil-hunters easy access. Once inside they made their way down and saw the demons coming from a cellar. The fiends seemed to have but one purpose: to leave the house and join their comrades at the church.

There was just one way into the cellar. Dante jumped out of his hiding place and forced himself a way through the demons with Ebony and Ivory. Nero thought the older half-devil was committing suicide. Then he saw that the demons were so intent on getting out of the house that they ignored the destructive force wading through them. The younger man followed. At the back of the cellar they saw the portal. The body of an older man lay to one side. A bookcase with some books on demons, Hell Gates, and other gateways into the Demon World stood to the side.

"Tsk, why don't they leave well alone? What do they hope to achieve playing with something they don't understand? Let's close this thing."

"How?" Nero asked

"There's a niche at the top of the portal. We need an artefact to close this baby. See if you find anything, kid," Dante said.

He was rifling the shelves of the bookcase, absentmindedly shooting any demon that came close.

Nero looked among the papers scattered on top of a table.

"No artefact here, old man. Wait … There's a paper here. … I think we're looking for a lion mask."

"A lion mask?" Dante grabbed the paper to look at it. "Okay, a lion mask. Let's find it. It must be here somewhere."

They looked everywhere but found nothing. Meanwhile the demons still kept coming through. Most just went straight out of the cellar, but here and there one would turn on Nero or Dante. Invariably it paid with its life.

"It's not here," Nero said eventually.

"I don't buy that," Dante answered. "There's one place we haven't looked."

He went towards the corpse of the owner.

"Come on, mister," he said lifting the body. "I think you may be hiding something."

The lion mask was there. Nero picked up the artefact.

"Okay, kid. I'll keep them off; you stick that thing up there."

Dante started firing Ebony and Ivory towards the portal while Nero crawled up the slippery wall until he reached the niche. He pushed the lion mask into its place, and the portal disappeared.

With Sparda's Force Edge Dante cut across the lion mask and the wall. Blood seeped out, then the lion mask disappeared. The portal was permanently closed; not a trace of it was left.

"Now let's go and clean up this town."

"Okay, old man."

They made their way back to the square killing any demon they encountered.

The youngsters had held on while Dante and Nero had been gone. Now, bit by bit, the number of demons actually decreased.

Vergil too noticed. When the last demon fell, he left the hall the way he came in. Jim met him just outside the building

"We've done it Vergil," he said. "There are no more demons left, just the two half-devils."

As he came from behind the church Vergil heard his brother say, "Ow, I was really enjoying myself, and now it's really all over." On seeing the mix of devils and humans standing together he added, "Or perhaps it's not over just yet."

Vergil and Jim joined the young half-devils and Dante, after his initial surprise; became suspicious.

"Vergil! What are you doing here? Taking over the world with your little army? I'll have to stop you. You know that, don't you?"

"Take over the world? No, Dante. I came here to destroy an army of demons that threatened this town. We responded to a distress call, just like you undoubtedly did."

Damian joined Vergil looking at Dante as if he were and unexploded bomb.

"Vergil, who's this bozo impersonating you?" Addressing Dante he said, "We are Sparda's Army, mister. Defenders of the innocent. Protectors of the Human World."

"Sparda's Army? What kind of joke is this, Vergil?"

"No joke, little brother. They are the descendants of Sparda's friends, members of his army. They were already using the name when I met them and –" Vergil interrupted himself. "Dante, when did you last bathe? You reek, little brother."

Dante lifted his arms and sniffed.

"Phew! Must have been that boss I killed. Said his name was Balvala. He messed with the weather. Dust-rain. See, the whole square is covered in it. And then the stink. Nero nearly passed out."

"I did nothing of the sort, old man," Nero said annoyed.

Just then the church doors opened. Father Callahan, Reverend Jackson, and Mrs Dixon came out, followed by the rest of the townspeople.

"Thank you so much for saving our town," Father Callahan said. "I hope you'll accept this reward. Everyone contributed."

Dante asked, surprised, "You give a reward instead of a bill for the damages?"

"The demons caused most of the damage," Mrs Dixon said. "Besides, I would be ashamed to be mayor of a town that sent a bill to its rescuers."

"If only everyone thought like that. I would be a rich man," Dante observed.

"No you wouldn't, old man. You like gambling too much, and you're useless at it."

The people went back to their houses, not to celebrate because they knew that not everyone had reached safety. Neighbours, friends, family would be missed.

The demon-hunters were left in the middle of the square. Tyler expressed the curiosity of all the youngsters.

"Vergil, you called this one 'little brother'. Is he? And who's the other one? "

After a slight hesitation Vergil answered, "The idiot is my twin, and the younger one is my son.

"Your son? You never told us. Does Maria know you have a son?" Damian wanted to know.

"Maria? Is Maria still with you, Vergil?" Dante asked.

"You know Maria? Why don't you come with us then?" Carrie suggested ignoring Vergil. "I'm sure Maria would love to see you again. She was planning a feast for when we returned."

"Sounds great. Nero, why don't you call Kyrie? I'm sure she won't mind."

Vergil didn't know how he felt about the invitation, but when Kyrie said they should go and give her love to Maria, he couldn't have stopped Dante and Nero anyway. Vergil and the youngsters drove off in the SUVs with Dante and Nero following on their motorbikes.

Before they left Damian had called Maria, saying, "We'll be back in four hours. And we're bringing two guests. One looks so much like Vergil it's creepy."

That was enough for Maria to get some homemade pizzas ready for the returning devil-hunters, especially for Dante. He smelled them as soon as he walked into the cottage.

"Maria, you're an absolute angel," he said while embracing her. "You're wasted on Vergil you know."

"He's not that bad," Maria answered. "Give us a few more years and he may even be human."

Maria smiled at Vergil who muttered, "Infernal woman."

After a wash, some pizza, and a rest it was time for Maria's feast.

During dinner she asked Nero about Kyrie and his children.

"The twin boys are nearly five now. We've already started training them to control their strength. Our little girl is three. I think she'll soon be bossing her brothers around. And Kyrie is pregnant again."

"Oh, how lovely. You didn't know yet last time Vergil visited, did you?"

"Vergil visiting? Last time we saw Vergil was five years ago with you."

"But-" Maria turned to Vergil. "You complete idiot. You never actually visited them, just observed them from a distance like some creep, didn't you?"

"I would only have disrupted their happy family. They did not need me, woman."

"For an intelligent man you can be a real fool sometimes. Of course they needed you. You're Nero's father. Your grandchildren haven't even seen you yet."

"Stop it woman. You are embarrassing me."

"As if." Maria turned back to Nero. "I'm sorry Nero. If you want your children to see their granddad you will have to come and visit."

"They could come on holiday," Jim suggested. "We could build a cabin next to ours."

"Do you have a place for me in that scheme, kid?" Dante asked.

"You could have the room over the stables," Damian suggested.

"He might want a proper room if he brings his girlfriend," Nero said.

"I haven't got a girlfriend," Dante mumbled.

"He's been seeing her longer than anyone before. She's the sister of an acquaintance of Dante. Some guy called Bradley. They're demons, though you wouldn't know to look at them."

"I would be so glad for you if you had found someone," Maria said. "I worry about you all alone in that office of yours."

"We're not choosing curtains just yet, but I feel good with her," Dante finally admitted.

"I'm sure we'll find space for another cabin if need be."

It was a nice, warm evening so after dinner they went outside. Dante and Vergil sat together away from the others.

"You've done well for those kids, Vergil. And with Maria here they have a real home."

"They had made this place into a home already, Dante. I didn't do much except train them."

"Sure Vergil, but I don't think any of them would want to miss you. Not even the older ones."

"You may be right."

"By the way, I've been counting them. You've got seven young friends, haven't you?"

"Dante, don't go there."

"I'm not surprised really. You're so nitpickingly meticulous when you do things. Everything has to be correct to the most infinitesimal detail. So when I heard you'd been playing Snow-White I just knew there had to be seven dwarfs along the line."

"Dante!"

"Do they sing 'Hiho'? I'll tell them it's your favourite song, shall I?"

"DANTE!"

THE END

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 **Author's Note : A few days late, but here is the last part of The Crystal Sarcophagus. **

**Special thanks to the people who reviewed, followed, and added this story to their favourites. Also thanks to everyone who read this. I hope you liked it and I would be immensely pleased if you let me know what you thought of it.**


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